Hate Crime Awareness Adrian Symonds Equality and Diversity Advisor

Hate Crime Hatred is a strong term that goes beyond simply causing offence or hostility. Hate Crime is any criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated by an offender's prejudice or hatred of someone because of their differences. Allow 5 mins HAND OUT

Differences (Protected Characteristics) recognised in Law Age Disability Gender Reassignment Marriage and Civil Partnership Race Religion or Belief Sex Sexual Orientation

Differences (Protected Characteristics) recognised for Hate Crime race or perceived race (including nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, race and colour) religion or perceived religion / lack of religion sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation disability or perceived disability transgender or perceived transgender identity Plus individual characteristics that makes someone appear different eg alternative lifestyle, culture, physical appearance and style of address

Government definition of a Hate Crime Hate Crime involves any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a personal characteristic. Hate Crime can be motivated by disability, gender identity, race, religion or faith and sexual orientation

What could be a Hate Crime ? physical attacks – such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti, neighbour disputes and arson threat of attack – including offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls or other IT technology, groups hanging around to intimidate and unfounded, malicious complaints verbal abuse or insults - offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace

Hate Incidents Any incident, which may or may not constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

What could be a Hate Incident? Verbal abuse Name calling Nuisance phone calls Antisocial behaviour

The Law The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created a number of new racially and religiously aggravated offences  The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced tougher sentences for offences motivated by hatred of the victim’s sexual orientation (this must now be taken into account by the sentencing court as an aggravating factor, in addition to race or religious hate motivation).

The Law The Racial and Religious Hatred Act (2007) made it a criminal offence to use threatening words or behaviour with the intention of stirring up hatred against any group of people because of their religious beliefs or their lack of religious beliefs A Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Disability Hate Crimes launched by CPS in February 2007 and took effect from 1st April 2007.

Homophobic attacks Michael Causer an 18 year old gay man died a week after he was savagely beaten in a homophobic attack (2008). Gay motive likely for murder Two men sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Jodie Dobrowski, who was beaten to death in a homophobic attack (2005).

Racial attacks Stephen Lawrence, 18, was stabbed to death in a racist attack as he waited for a bus in Eltham, South London, on April 22, 1993. Only recently have the offenders been brought to justice. This is after two high profile court cases.

Racist Attack on Travellers Moore Street Dublin on Sunday 27/07/08. A family of Romany Gypsies walked past a group of Irish teenage girls who shouted abuse. As the Gypsies responded verbally one teenage girl found a chair and ran after the Gypsies hitting the woman pictured from behind. The woman tries to protect her baby wrapped in her arms in blankets.

Disability Related Attack May 2006, Thames Valley Sean Miles, a man with autism, was murdered and robbed by friends. He was beaten, knifed in the head and then drowned in the Thames amid allegations that he was a paedophile. The jury had heard how the killers watched as Mr Miles floundered in the river. He was poked with a stick to stop him getting out before he drowned.

Disability Hate Crime - Fiona Pilkington Fiona Pilkington killed herself and her severely disabled daughter Francecca Hardwick in 2007 after years of torment by youths Fiona Pilkington and her family had contacted police more than 30 times during the 10-year ordeal.

Disability Hate Crime - Fiona Pilkington An inquest two years later heard how the family had been kept virtual prisoners in their home by youths who threw stones, flour and other objects, and kept up a relentless stream of abuse. The jury ruled that failings by police contributed to the deaths, as did the failure of Leicestershire county council and Hinckley and Bosworth borough council to share information. The case prompted concern that many police forces were failing to properly identify hate crimes motivated by disability and thus treating them as low-priority antisocial behaviour.

Disability Hate Crime - Fiona Pilkington An Independent Police Complaints Commission report into Leicestershire Police’s dealings with Pilkington concluded that the main failure was in not identifying the family as vulnerable, which meant police did not provide a structured, cohesive response to the prolonged antisocial behaviour they endured.

Hate Crime – Alternative Lifestyle Murder of Sophie Lancaster in 2007 The victim and her boyfriend were attacked by a number of males in their mid-teens while walking through a park in Lancashire. As a result of her severe head injuries she went into a coma, never regained consciousness, and died thirteen days later. Believed that the attack may have been linked to the couple wearing gothic fashion and being members of the Goth subculture.

Hate Crime – Alternative Lifestyle At the time this crime did not fall into one of the existing Hate Crime categories In April 2013 Greater Manchester Police announced that they would officially begin to record offences committed against goths and other alternative groups, as Hate Crimes. Warwickshire and West Mercia Police also record “Alternative Lifestyle” Hate Crimes. An alternative lifestyle is a lifestyle diverse in respect to mainstream ones, or generally perceived to be outside the cultural norm.

Hate Crimes in West Mercia (as of 02/10/2016) OFFENCES YTM YTM (last year) % change Racial 449 332 35.2% Religion/Faith 13 15 -13.3% Disability 22 29 -24.1% Sexual Orientation 84 51 64.7% Transgender 12 11 9.1% Alternative Culture/Lifestyle 20 -35.0% TOTAL MARKERS APPLIED: 593 458  

Hate Incidents in West Mercia (as of 02/10/2016) CRIMED INCIDENTS YTM YTM (last year) % change Racial 64 67 -4.5% Religion/Faith 1  3 -66.7% Disability 11 9 22.2% Sexual Orientation 17 12 41.7% Transgender 4 2 100.0% Alternative Culture/Lifestyle 3 200.0% TOTAL MARKERS APPLIED: 100 94  

Hate Crimes in South Worcs (as of 02/10/2016) OFFENCES YTM YTM (last year) % change Racial 124 100 24.0% Religion/Faith 1 7 -85.7% Disability 9 6 50.0% Sexual Orientation 28 8 250.0% Transgender 2 Prejudice: Alternative Culture/Lifestyle 4 -100.0% TOTAL MARKERS APPLIED: 164 125  

Hate Incidents in South Worcs (as of 02/10/2016) CRIMED INCIDENTS YTM YTM (last year) % change Racial 9 18 -50.0% Religion/Faith 1 -100.0% Disability 5 400.0% Sexual Orientation 4 300.0% Transgender  1 Prejudice: Alternative Culture/Lifestyle TOTAL MARKERS APPLIED: 19 21  

Reporting a Hate Crime In an emergency ring 999 If it is not an emergency ring 101 Call at your local police station Speak to a Police Officer or Police Community Support Officer Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Reporting a Hate Crime Use ‘Contact Us’ on West Mercia website www.westmercia.police.uk Report online to True Vision at www.report-it.org.uk Call at a Third Party Hate Crime Reporting Centre

Further Hate Crime Training http://city.worcester.gov.uk/hatecrime/launch_nolms.html

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