Hate incidents' and 'hate crimes' are terms used to describe acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are.  They are motivated by hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity, or sexual orientation. This can be an incident against a person or against property and includes materials posted online.

Hate Incidents

Some examples of hate incidents include:

  • verbal abuse like name-calling and offensive jokes
  • harassment
  • bullying or intimidation by children, adults, neighbours or strangers
  • physical attacks such as hitting, punching, pushing, spitting
  • threats of violence
  • hoax calls, abusive phone or text messages, hate mail
  • online abuse, for example on Facebook or Twitter
  • displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters
  • harm or damage to things such as your home, pet, or vehicle
  • graffiti
  • arson
  • throwing rubbish into a garden
  • malicious complaints, for example over parking, smells or noise

Hate Crime

When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes.  A criminal offence is something that breaks the law.

Some examples of hate crimes include:

  • assaults
  • criminal damage
  • harassment
  • murder
  • sexual assault
  • theft
  • fraud
  • burglary
  • hate mail
  • harassment

Race and Religious Hate Crime 

Racist and religious crime is particularly hurtful to victims as they are being targeted solely because of their personal identity: their actual or perceived racial or ethnic origin, belief or faith. These crimes can happen randomly or be part of a campaign of continued harassment and victimisation. 

Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crime

In the past, incidents against lesbian, gay, bisexual people or transgender people have been rarely reported and even more rarely prosecuted. Research studies suggest that victims of, or witnesses to, such incidents have very little confidence in the criminal justice system. 

Disability Hate Crime

Feeling and being unsafe through violence, harassment or negative stereotyping has a significant  impact on disabled people's sense of security and wellbeing. It also impacts significantly on their ability to participate both socially and economically in their communities.

Further Support

  • True Vision offers guidance on reporting hate crime and hate incidents. If you do not wish to talk to anyone in person about the incident or wish to remain anonymous there is an online form for reporting hate crime; you can report non-crime hate incidents to the police to try and prevent any escalation in seriousness.
  • Internet Hate Crime. True Vision also provide further information on internet hate crime. 
  • Camden LGBT Forum  If you are a victim of homophobic or transphobic hate crime then get in touch with them to talk, report and get support.
  • Tell MAMA  supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and is a public service which also measures and monitors anti-Muslim incidents.
  • Community Security Trust (CS)  helps those who are victims of anti-Semitic hatred, harassment or bias.
  • Victim Support.  When you report a crime to the police, they should automatically ask you if you would like help from an organisation like Victim Support. But anyone affected by crime can contact them directly  – you don’t need to talk to the police to get Victim Support help.
  • Stop Hate UK offer support to victims of hate crime. 

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