In the UK, hundreds of thousands of people are attacked and harassed (physically or verbally), every year because they are perceived as ‘different’. ‘Different’ in terms of their race, religion, sexuality, gender identity, or their disability - or a combination of these.
The Crime Survey of England and Wales estimates that there were 190,000 Hate crimes each year from 2017 to 2020, but only 105,090 Hate crime offences were recorded by the police in 2020. Hate crimes are hugely under-reported, and often inadequately dealt with by authorities.
As part of the Confronting COVID-Related Hate project and in partnership with Protection Approaches, Chinese Welfare Trust and Newham Chinese Association, we created a Hate Crime hub - where we collated an Information Guide on Hate crime and Hate incident, Hate Crime Statistics in the UK, a directory where you can report a Hate crime, and Mental Health resources for victims of Hate crime. Downloadable resource materials are also available.
Jump to the contents of this page here :
What is Hate Crime? | Hate Crime Statistics | Hate Crime and COVID-19 | Why Hate Crime is under reported | How to Report a Hate Crime | Third-party reporting sites Directory | Mental Health Support for Victims
What is a Hate crime?
A Hate crime is any crime that the victim or anyone else thinks was motivated by prejudice or hatred against someone’s:
Race : a person’s skin colour or the country that they come from)
Religion : the religion or belief of a person
Sexual orientation : who a person loves – bisexual, gay, heterosexual, and lesbian people)
Disability : a physical or mental condition that has a negative effect on a person’s ability to do undertake daily activities)
Transgender identity : when a personal identity and gender do not correspond with a person’s birth sex, for example, someone who was born a man but identifies as a woman)
Anyone can be the victim of a hate crime or hate incident. For example, you could be targeted because someone thinks you are from a particular religion, even though you’re not, or because you have a disabled child even if you are not.
The person who commits the crime or incident could be someone you know or a stranger.
Why is Hate Crime different from other crimes?
Hate crimes are different from other forms of crime because perpetrators purposefully target victims based on prejudice or hostility towards a group of people (not just individuals). Perpetuators are likely to re-victimise that group by committing further hate crimes.
Hate Crime Statistics
The number of hate crimes reported to police has more than doubled since 2013, according to government figures, which also showed a large increase last year in offences against people based on race and sexual orientation.
Source: House of Commons Library
Police recorded crime figures show in 2019/20 that there were 105,090 offences recorded by the police where one or more of the centrally monitored hate crime strands were deemed to be a motivating factor. This was 8% higher than in 2018/19.
Racially-motivated Hate crime in England and Wales
CSEW figures on race hate crime show that for the 2017/18 to 2019/20 combined dataset, those from the “Other” ethnic grouping had the highest proportion of victims to have suffered racially motivated hate crime. 1.1% of those identifying as being from an ‘Other ethnic group’ reported they had been subject to racially motivated hate crimes. Those of Asian ethnicity had the second-highest proportion with 1.0%.
Hate crime and the Covid-19 Pandemic
In October 2020, the Home Office published provisional trends in racially or religiously aggravated offences under Covid-19 restrictions in England and Wales, up until July 2020.
Hate crime, the ESEA communities, and the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a project launched by Protection Approaches, Chinese Welfare Trust, and Newham Chinese Association - Confronting COVID-related Hate: Standing with Britain’s Chinese, East and Southeast Asian Communities - it was mentioned that during the first week of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, hate crime reports to police from British Chinese, East, and Southeast Asians have increased to 300% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the previous years. Several media outlets have also reported COVID-related Hate crimes.
“ESEA communities have faced soaring racially-aggravated violence and discrimination during the course of the pandemic, as the virus was inextricably linked to China.
Racist hate crime against people described by the Metropolitan Police as Oriental soared. Between January and June, Met Police recorded a total of 457 race-related crimes against people of “Oriental” ethnicity or who self-defined as Chinese.
In February alone, police data revealed that 64 incidents of racist hate crimes against “Oriental” victims were recorded, more than twice the number in the previous year (29). In March, this rose to 101, nearly three times as more than in March 2019 and 2018.”
Source: How British East and Southeast Asians are fighting racism during the pandemic
Hate crime in Scotland
In total, there were 5,219 hate crime charges in Scotland in 2019/20, an 11% increase on the previous year. In 2019/20, the number of race hate crimes increased by 4% in the previous year.
Proportionally, the majority of hate crimes in Scotland were racially motivated accounting for 58% of all hate crime charges in 2019/20 compared to 78% in 2010/11.
Hate crimes are hugely under-reported, and often inadequately dealt with by the authorities
Why many Hate crimes or Hate incidents are not reported?
There are some reasons some victims or witnesses decide not to report to the police with some additional information to help you to make an informed decision if you are a victim or witness.
The police see hate crime as an important priority, however often there is not enough evidence for the police to investigate or to find a perpetrator.
Reporting also helps police understand the extent of hate crime in your local area so they can better respond to it and prevent happening to other people.
The police want you to tell them if you are a victim or witness of a hate crime and most police officers will treat you kindly and with respect. If for any reason you don’t want to engage with the police you can report hate crime anonymously online.
Most online hate crime forms can be completed in just a few minutes – if you have given your details the police will follow up with a phone call or visit, if you have reported anonymously the police will not contact you.
Language barriers can prevent those who can’t speak or write in English from being able to report hate crimes or hate incidents. If completing an online form it is likely a victim or witness will need support from a person who can translate. Reporting over the phone is likely to be very difficult without support from somebody who can interpret, however, the police do provide an interpretation service for most languages in police stations.
Importance of reporting Hate crime and Hate incidents
It is important victims or witnesses understand that there may not be a prosecution if they report a hate crime. However, there are other reasons victims my want to report hate crime:
It enables authorities to map where hate incidents and hate crimes are occurring. Based on this data they can identify which areas may need greater protection and direct resources to these areas.
Perpetrators of hate rime will often repeat offend, over a number of reports there may be enough evidence to prosecute that offender.
It can educate the public on the prevalence of hate crime. It sends a message that hate crimes is not accepted and prevents it from seeming normal.
Source: Protection Approaches
How to Report Hate crime and Hate incidents?
In-Person
At a police station
At a third-party reporting site – these are community-based centres where members of staff are available to support victims/witnesses to complete reporting forms.
Find the a Third-party reporting site in the Directory below.
Over the phone
To the police at 999 in an emergency or somebody is in danger
To the police at 101 if it is not an emergency and there is no immediate danger.
To an alternative, such as Stopa Hate UK (0800 138 1625) which offers independent and confidential hate crime reporting services.
Online
To the police online via the True Vision website: www.report-it.org.uk - This method allows you to report anonymously.
Directory of Organisations/ Third-party reporting sites
Support Line – offers confidential emotional support by telephone, email and post
Helpline: 01708 765200
Crimestoppers – provides reporting services and advice
Phone: 0800 555 111
Online: www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Equality Advisory & Support (EASS) – advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights
Advice line: 0808 800 0082
Government Hate Crime Website – provides help and advice on reporting a hate crime
Online: www.hatecrime.campaign.gov.uk
Community Security Trust (CST) – has a dedicated team that deals with anti-Semitic incidents and provides victim support, while respecting confidentiality at all times
CST national emergency number: 0800 032 3263
Online: www.cst.org.uk
Victims support – Provides specialist practical and emotional support to victims and witnesses.
Phone: 08 08 16 89 111
Online: www.victimsupport.org.uk
Citizen advice – give free, confidential information and advice
Adviceline: 03444 111 444
Chat with an adviser online: www.citizenadvice.org.uk
True Vision – gives information about hate crime or incidents and advice on how to report it
Online: www.report-it.org.uk
Stop Hate UK – provides independent, confidential and accessible reporting and support
Phone: 0800 138 1625
Online: www.stophateuk.org
Tell MAMA – records, and measures anti-Muslim incidents and supports victims
Online: www.tellmamauk.org
Disability Rights UK – has information on disability hate crime
Online: www.disabilityrightsuk.org
Galop – LGBT + anti-violence charity that provides support to victims of hate crime
Phone: 0207 704 2040
Online: www.galop.org.uk
The Chinese Community Health and Wellbeing Services (CCHWS) - provides free and confidential mental health counseling and psychotherapy in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English to British Chinese, East, and Southeast Asian community members who have been the victims of hate crime.
Phone: 0746489002
East and Southeast Asian Community organisations in the UK that provides support to Hate crime victims or witness
Protection Approaches have created an Information sheet on Hate Crime available in different languages.
What happens after I report a Hate crime or Hate incident?
Protection Approaches have created a diagram of the process of reporting a Hate crime or Hate incident to the police.
Source : Protection Approaches
Impact of Hate crime on at-risk individuals and communities
Research shows that the psychological distress experienced by victims of hate crime is higher than victims of hate crimes not motivated by prejudice (American Psychological Association)
Hate crimes can cause fear, anxiety, anger, and humiliation
To victims hate crimes feels very personal because they are targeted because of who they are or who they are assumed to be.
Victims feel especially vulnerable as they feel that they cannot change the reason why they were targeted e.g. race, sexuality, religion etc.
Repeat victimization can worsen the emotional toll of hate crime
In addition to the psychological and emotional consequences, hate crime can cause people to change their behavior to avoid hate crimes and incidents, such as not going as much or avoiding certain areas
Witnessing or hearing about hate crime also impacts wider communities’ feelings of safety and security.
What you can do if you have experience Hate crime?
Talk to someone. First of all, if you can, talk to someone you trust about what has happened or what is happening. This is partly for your own support, but it is also important to ensure that someone else knows what is going on. They may be able to help or they may be able to witness the abuse or victimisation.
Find out your rights. Local community organisations can help you to find out your rights. You can also find help online here.
Contact On Your Side services. A support and reporting service for East and Southeast Asian communities who experience racism or any forms of hate.
Mental health service resource for victims of Hate crime
For anyone who has experienced abuse, victimisation, or hate crime directed at them because of their mental distress or psychiatric diagnosis.
The Chinese Community Health and Wellbeing Services (CCHWS) provides free and confidential mental health counseling and psychotherapy in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English to British Chinese, East, and Southeast Asian community members who have been the victims of hate crime.
Phone: 0746489002
The Monitoring Group is an anti-racist charity that promotes civil rights and offers a support helpline run by volunteers for people who are victims of racial violence.
Phone: 020 7582 7438; Mon-Thurs 11am-6pm.
Email: office@tmg-uk.org
Respond is a national charity providing therapeutic and support services to people with learning disabilities, autism or both who have experienced abuse, violence, or trauma. Respond provides therapeutic support as well as practical advice and information. Its helpline is for people with learning disabilities themselves as well as family, carers, and professionals supporting them.
Phone: 0808 808 0700 E-mail: admin@respond.org.uk.
Find out more at www.respond.org.uk.
Mind has a Legal help Line providing general legal advice that may be of help.
Phone: 0300 466 6463 (Legal line)
Email: legal@mind.org.uk.
Post: Mind Legal line, PO Box 75225, London, E15 9FS.
This resource on Mental Health services was funded by NSUN National Survivor User Network thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.
This Hate crime blog is a project funded by:
Protection Approaches, The Centre of Hate Studies at University of Leicester and On Your Side recently published a report on the extent of hate crime faced by ESEA communities in the UK.