Hate Crime

A hate crime is defined as 'Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's:

race or perceived race;

religion or perceived religion;

sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation;

disability or perceived disability;

and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.'

Evidence of the hate element is not a requirement. You do not need to personally perceive the incident to be hate related. It would be enough if another person, a witness or even a police officer thought that the incident was hate related.

Hate crime can fall into one of three main types:

• Physical assault
• Verbal abuse
• Incitement to hatred

The offence of incitement to hatred occurs when someone acts in a way that is threatening and intended to stir up hatred. That could be in words, pictures, videos, music, and includes information posted on websites and in chat forums.

Someone can be a victim of more than one type of hate crime.

Some of the types of behaviour which could be classed as hate crimes include:

• threatening or abusive behaviour towards any person
• harassment
• damage or threats of damage to property (including arson);
• writing threatening, abusive or insulting messages by letter, graffiti or on social media
• distributing and or displaying racist leaflets, posters or notifications and posts on social media (Twitter, Facebook etc.)
• physical assault
• jokes/’banter’
• malicious phone calls or text messages
• bullying at school/college or in the workplace.
• discriminatory literature or posters. 

The hate crime or incident does not have to be directed towards a person e.g., an empty house could be vandalised with racist graffiti.

There is a difference between a hate crime and a hate incident. 

A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender. When a hate incident becomes a criminal offence (breaks the law), it becomes a hate crime.

Anyone can be the victim of a hate incident.

It is important to note that perception is crucial with hate crimes and incidents, if one person perceives it to be hate related it can be recorded as such, this does not have to be the victim, it may be the police or a witness. Proof is not required to report it, the police will still investigate, and it will allow the police to monitor any trends in hate related crimes and incidents.

It is important to report Hate Incidents as well as Hate Crimes as they allow any trends to be determined and Hate Incidents may escalate to Hate Crimes.

Hate crime targets people for who they are. It’s a very personal crime which can send a clear message: “You’re not welcome”. Hate crime also reinforces long-established patterns of discrimination and prejudice against certain communities and groups of people. For these reasons, Parliament introduced laws which mean that offenders can receive longer sentences if they are convicted of a hate crime.

How do I report hate crime on campus?

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by a hate crime or incident, please read the following information to find out what support and advice is available and how to report an incident. 

If you have been a victim of hate crime or have witnessed a hate crime take place it is important to let us know.

This information is also applicable to staff and students.

Reporting to Northumbria's Security Service

In the first instance we recommended reporting it to Northumbria Security Service by calling 0191 227 3200 or using the Safezone app. 

Once a report has been made to Northumbria Security Service, we can then report it formally to the Police. No action will be taken by the police unless the victim wishes them to do so.

Reporting via Northumbria University’s Unacceptable Behaviours portal

Unacceptable Behaviours reports, including reports of hate, can be made via the Unacceptable Behaviours reporting tool. Reports can be made with your contact details or provided anonymously.

The Unacceptable Behaviours reporting portal also lists a range of support available to colleagues and students.

In addition to reporting via the Unacceptable Behaviours portal, hate crime can be reported through a number of routes, including the Police, StopHate UK and Tell MAMA.

Police

If you prefer, you can report a hate crime directly to Northumbria Police, either by phone, online or by visiting your local police station.

by calling 999 in an emergency situation or 101 in a non-emergency situation

via Northumbria Police’s website 

by calling or visiting a station of Northumbria Police

Stop Hate UK

StopHate UK is a leading national organisation working to challenge all forms of Hate Crime and discrimination, based on any aspect of an individual’s identity. Stop Hate UK offer a service in the Newcastle upon Tyne area to enable individuals to report a hate crime, to receive support before, during and after a report, and to help guide individuals through the process.

Tell MAMA

Tell MAMA for anti-Muslim hate incidents by calling 0800 456 1226, texting 0115 707 00 07 or at www.tellmamauk.org

Colleagues and students are reminded that support and guidance in relation to instances of hate can be found on the University's Unacceptable Behaviours portal.

If you experience, witness or are aware of unacceptable behaviour involving any person connected with your work, study or time at Northumbria, you are strongly encouraged to report it and to seek support as early as possible. This can help you to deal with the immediate situation and think through your options and next steps. You should consider talking with a person you know and trust, this might be a friend, course tutor, colleague or family member.

If you are a student, you can also talk with:

• A member of our specialist support teams, who can be contacted via any Ask4Help service point on campus, telephoning 0191 227 4646 or by submitting an enquiry at the end of the Unacceptable Behaviours page on your Student Portal
• Northumbria security services
• Our 24-hour Student Counselling and Advice Helpline
• Your Students’ Union 

If you are a member of staff you can also talk with:  

• Our Employee Assistance team (EAP); 
• a Human Resources Manager;
• a Trade Union representative; 

Hate Crime Awareness Week is a national week of solidarity with those affected by hate crime. The national week aims to encourage the authorities (Government, Police and Councils), key partners and communities affected by hate crime to work together to tackle local hate crime incidents across the UK. The week seeks to engage communities affected by hate crime and to remind individuals about the support, and reporting routes, available to them.

“By reporting instances of hate, when they happen to you or when you witness them, you may be able to prevent these incidents from happening to someone else.”   

For more information about the National Hate Crime Awareness Week campaign, please refer to the NHCAW website.