Standing together against hate
This week is national Hate Crime Awareness week.Every year between the second and third Saturday in October, communities, groups and organisations come together to stand against hate.
As well as raising awareness of what hate crime is, the aim of the week of activity is to send the message that hate must not be tolerated and to encourage victims to report it.
Hate crime is any offence committed against a person or their property motivated by the offender’s hatred of that person or group of people because they are seen as being different.A victim of hate crime may be targeted because of his/her:
- age or perceived age
- cultural, ethnic, national or racial origin
- religion
- sexuality
- gender identity
- disability.
14% of people who took part in the consultation said that hate crime was one of the top five issues which mattered most to them. Hate crime and bullying also topped the list of concerns for members of local disability groups Opening Doors and Equal Lives when Lorne visited them.
Using community and partner feedback to draft his Police and Crime Plan for the county, the Commissioner has pledged to support and encourage victims of hate crime to come forward and report it.
“As Norfolk’s PCC, I will not tolerate any form of hate crime", he said. "I am personally working closely within our communities to ensure that minority groups feel reassured, that they are confident in reporting what they have experienced and understand that we will deal robustly with any individuals or groups committing hate-related crime.”
More information about hate crime