Hate Crimes and Hate Incidents
Hate crimes and hate incidents are acts of hostility or prejudice directed at someone because of who they are, or who someone thinks they are. They can have a deep and lasting impact on individuals, families, and communities, which is why recognising and reporting them is so important.
What is a Hate Crime:
A hate crime is a criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person’s:
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Transgender identity
A hate crime can include things like assault, threats, harassment, criminal damage, or online abuse. What makes it a hate crime is the motivation behind it — if the offender targeted the victim because of one of the protected characteristics above.
What is a Hate Incident:
Not all acts of prejudice are crimes, but they may still be recorded as hate incidents. A hate incident is any behaviour that the victim or anyone else believes was motivated by hostility or prejudice. Examples include:
- Verbal abuse or slurs
- Offensive gestures
- Exclusion or intimidation
- Non‑criminal online comments
Even if the behaviour doesn’t meet the threshold for a criminal offence, reporting hate incidents helps build a clearer picture of what’s happening in the community and can prevent situations from escalating.
Why Reporting Matters:
Hate crimes and incidents often go unreported, but every report helps:
- Protect individuals who may be at risk
- Identify patterns or hotspots
- Support police and local services to take action
- Strengthen community safety and cohesion
How to Report:
You can report hate crimes and incidents in several ways, including:
- Directly to the Police via 101
- Via hate crime reporting centres:
Citizen’s Advice, Martin Snape House, 96 Pavilion Way, PO12 1GE
Bridgemary Library, 74 Brewers Lane, PO13 0LA
Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, PO12 1BT
- Via online reporting tools:
True Vision (National online reporting service) – https://www.report-it.org.uk/
Tell MAMA (UK wide support and reporting that focuses specifically on anti-Muslim hate) – https://tellmamauk.org/
Community Security Trust (Charity that works to protect British Jewish communities from antisemitism and related security threats) – https://cst.org.uk/
Galop (Charity that supports LGBT+ people who have experienced abuse, violence or discrimination) – https://www.galop.org.uk/
If you’re in immediate danger, always call 999.