HATE CRIME INFORMATION
Anyone can be a victim of Hate crime or hate incidents. 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.
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.
It is not always easy to tell the differences between a hate crime or hate incident, but if you feel you have been the victim of or witness hatred based on one of the five characteristics of Hate crime, you should report it to the police.
Find out more about Hate crime and how to report as a victim or witness in our Hate crime hub.
Hate crime has a great impact on the Mental health of the victims. Witnessing or hearing about hate crime also affects wider communities’ feelings of safety and security.
Here's what you can do if you have been a victim or a witness. We also created a list of Mental Health service resources that you can access.
For more information on Hate crime in the UK please visit our Hate crime hub.
