Hate crime

There are different types of hate crime.

Racist and religious crime

We see a racist or religiously motivated crime as any incident which the victim (or anyone else) feels is racist or religiously motivated.

An incident is racially or religiously motivated if:

• when the incident happens (or immediately before or afterwards) the offender is hostile towards the victim because the victim is part of (or the offender assumes the victim is part of) a racial or religious group
• the offence is motivated (wholly or partly) by hostility towards members of a racial or religious group because of their membership of that group.

Certain offences, including assault, harassment, criminal damage and public order offences, can be prosecuted by the police as racially or religiously aggravated offences.

Where there is evidence of racial or religious aggravation in other offences, the offender faces a harsher sentence than if he or she were found guilty of a non-racial or religious crime.

Homophobic and transphobic crime

Homophobic and transphobic crime is any incident which the victim (or anyone else, including the offender) feels is homophobic or transphobic.

We see these crimes as particularly serious because they undermine people's right to feel safe about, and be safe in, their sexual orientation.

Crimes like these are based on prejudice, discrimination and hate - they have no place in an open and democratic society.

The homophobic or transphobic element of any crime is a serious aggravating feature. We are determined to play our part in reducing crime by bringing offenders to justice.

Disability hate crime

We want disabled victims and witnesses (and their families and communities) to know that we understand how serious this type of crime is.

Feeling and being unsafe or unwelcome – from shunning or rejection to violence, harassment and negative stereotyping – have a significant negative impact on disabled people's feeling of security and wellbeing. Feeling like this also affects the abilty of disabled people to participate socially and economically in their communities.

Safety and security, and the right to live free from fear and harassment, are fundamental human rights. We are aware of the way that disability hate crime affects the wider community through undermining disabled people's sense of safety and security. This is why we take disability hate crime very seriously.

Crimes like this are based on ignorance, prejudice, discrimination and hate - they have no place in an open and democratic society.

We are committed to taking clear steps to deal effectively with anti-social behaviour, nuisance and harassment so that residents can live in a comfortable and safe environment.

You can report hate crime, or any other type of anti-social behaviour to us online. Click here to report now. 

 

ARCH are third party reporting centres for hate incidents. They are a group of organisations working together to get the right help to victims, and to take action against the attackers.

You can report to ARCH on 0800 032 3288

• This is available 24 hours a day and is free.
• There is a translation service to over 100 languages.
• You can report something that has happened to you, to someone else or about something you have seen.

If you would like more information about ARCH please email arch@newcastle.gov.uk.