Any crime that is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be racist, homophobic, transphobic or due to a person’s religion, belief, gender identity or disability is a hate crime.
Hate crime is a form of exploitation which occurs when a person is harmed or taken advantage of by someone, they thought was their friend.
Hate crimes can include
- physical attacks - physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti, neighbour disputes and arson
- threat of attack - offensive letters or emails, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate you and unfounded, malicious complaints.
- verbal abuse or insults - harassment over the phone, by text or face to face, abusive gestures and remarks, bullying and threats.
They can happen anywhere - at home, school, work or on the street. It can be frightening for the victim and witnesses.
Reporting hate crime
If you feel that you are being targeted in this way or have witnessed a hate crime, then you can report the incident to the police. In an emergency always call 999.
You can report hate crime at other reporting centres:
Support
If there is an incident that you feel is a hate crime, we can provide support and help to resolve any issues you have as a consequence of experiencing or witnessing incidents.
For further help and advice, you can also talk direct to your local Neighbourhood Police Team.
- Leigh - 0161 856 7225
- Wigan - 0161 856 7124
Crimestoppers (external link) are an independent charity that lets you report crime anonymously. You can contact them by phone or online, 24/7, 365 days a year. They also share advice on how to protect yourself from crime. Tel: 0800 555 111.