What is Hate Crime?
Hate crimes are criminal offences that break the law of the land, motivated by prejudice of some kind.
You do not have to accept these behaviours as the norm.
Street harassment and bullying may seem like small things that ”everyone has to go through”, but the normalisation of these practices, especially towards minority groups and communities of colour, eventually lead to their escalation.
Sources: Hate Crime Scotland and Citizens’ Advice Scotland
There has been an increase in the number of charges reported in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19 for all categories of hate crime.
Racial crime remains the most commonly reported hate crime. In total, 3,038 charges relating to race crime were reported in 2019-20, an increase of 4 per cent compared to 2018-19.
Although the number of charges has increased in 2019-20, it is still the second-lowest annual figure since consistent figures became available in 2003-04.
203 Incidents – Falkirk – 2017-2018
118 Incidents – Stirling – 2017-2018
62 Incidents – Clackmannanshire – 2017-2018
Averages of Incidents in Forth Valley
444 per 10,000 – Falkirk
377 per 10,000 – Stirling
459 per 10,000 – Clackmannanshire
451 per 10,000 - average in Scotland
Resource: Recorded Crime in Scotland 2019-2020
Sources: Hate Crime Scotland and Citizens’ Advice Scotland
If you have experienced or witnessed Hate Crime, you can report it, either directly to Police Scotland, or by contacting us here.
You can challenge prejudice when you see it. Such as, if someone makes a racist ‘joke’ or uses a homophobic slur, you can tell them it’s inappropriate, or talk about the harm that prejudice causes.
When doing this, make sure to be in a place of safety, as this may help you de-escalate the situation properly. If you are not comfortable speaking to the perpetrator, you can speak to the victim afterwards to make sure they’re okay or ask if they need any help reporting.
Finally, you can reach out to people who may be targeted by prejudice: if someone seems shy or aloof, they may just be nervous or waiting to be invited to join in. You can make an effort to speak to a neighbour or co-worker from a different background – even a warm smile goes a long way in making someone feel welcome.
All Reports: Basic information is added to statistics. This helps us understand patterns and developments in prejudice and hate crime. Personal information will not be included in any publications.
Reporting Anonymously: If you report an incident to the Police, or ask CSREC to do so, the Police will investigate whether there is enough evidence for a case. More information on this process is available on the Hate Crime Scotland website.
Reporting to CSREC: If you leave contact details to a member of the Casework Team, we will get back to you within two working days, to discuss your options and help you find support. We will not contact the Police unless you want us to.
Reporting to the Police: If you leave contact details on the Police Scotland Reporting Form, the Police will contact you in your preferred way – this can be by phone or email, or in person at your home, or in another location.
You can ask for non-uniformed officers to meet you, so it’s not obvious you’re talking to police, and you can also ask for a language interpreter.
The Police will then investigate whether there is enough evidence for a case. More information on this process is available on the Hate Crime Scotland website.
Source: Hate Crime Scotland FAQs
You can report incidents to the Police or to CSREC – anonymously, if you wish, and the matter will be investigated. You can also contact CSREC’s Casework Team to discuss what happened, and we can help you decide what to do next.
If you have witnessed Hate Crime, you can report it, either to Police Scotland, CSREC, or another Third Party Reporting Centre. If you prefer to speak to someone, you can phone the Police Non-Emergency Number on 101, or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. You can also contact us during business hours.
It’s important to report incidents, both to help victims and to give a clearer picture of what’s happening – which, in turn, can help prevent further incidents. You can report Hate Crime anonymously.
If the incident happened to someone you know, you can ask what kind of support they want or need from you – and respect their wishes. You can also tell them about CSREC.
Yes. Hate Crime is about the perpetrator’s motivation. For example, if someone is attacked for being Muslim, it doesn’t matter whether that person is actually Muslim.
CSREC’s Casework Service provides practical help and advice. Get in touch with us to find out more.
