Staffordshire Commissioner Matthew Ellis is supporting national Hate Crime Awareness Week, which runs until 17 October, urging victims of hate crime to speak out and access help.
Hate Crime Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the different forms of hate crime, and the help and support that is available for victims.
A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person based on their actual or perceived race, religion sexual orientation disability, or transgender identity.
According to Staffordshire Police figures, over the past six months in Staffordshire there have been:
- Over 800 reports of hate crime
- 576 racially motivated hate crimes reported
- 123 reports of hate crimes targeting sexual orientation
- 63 reports of disability hate crime
- 28 reports of transgender hate crime
- 21 reports of hate crime regarding religious beliefs.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis, said:
‘Everyone should be able to go about their daily lives without fear of physical or verbal abuse, but hate crime takes away this essential human right. It’s an attack on someone’s identity and sense of self, and can leave them feeling anxious, vulnerable and emotionally traumatised.
‘Hate crime is never acceptable, and I would urge anyone who has experienced any kind of abuse – whether that is verbal, physical, online, damage to property or anything else – to report it to the police.’
If you are a victim of hate crime, contact Staffordshire Police either online through their website, sending them a message on their social media channels, or by calling 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
The Staffordshire Victim Gateway puts the needs of victims at the heart of the criminal justice system across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. For help and support, visit Staffordshire Victims Gateway.
