Hate Crime
Nobody should have to live with the fear and anxiety that hate crime can cause.
'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, sex, transgender identity, or sexual orientation.
When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes. A criminal offence is something that breaks the law. Hate incidents can be against a person or against property and includes materials posted online.
Hate Incidents
Some examples of hate incidents can include:
- Verbal abuse like name-calling and offensive jokes which are intended to cause harm and go beyond the protection afforded by free speech.
- Harassment is continuing (more than one incident) of unwanted behaviour which is intended to cause alarm or distress.
- Physical attacks such as hitting, punching, pushing, spitting.
- Threats of violence.
- Abusive phone or text messages, hate mail.
- Online abuse, for example on Facebook or Twitter.
- Displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters.
- Graffiti or vandalism.