People in Wolverhampton are being reminded how to report incidents of hate crime as this year's National Hate Crime Awareness Week continues.

Hate crime is any criminal offence committed against a person or property which is motivated by an offender's hatred of someone because of their race, colour, ethnic origin or nationality, their religion, their gender or gender identity, their sexual orientation or their disability.

It can take many forms, from physical attacks such as an assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti and arson, to verbal abuse or insults or the threat of attack, including the sending of offensive letters, emails or texts, abusive or obscene telephone calls or malicious complaints.

There are a number of ways that victims of, or witnesses to, an incident can report hate crime:

  • call police on 101 - or dial 999 or 112 if it is an emergency
     
  • contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers Type=links;Linkid=1665;Title=website;Target=_blank;
     
  • visit a Third Party Reporting Centre, businesses or other sites which can help people report hate crime. Those in Wolverhampton can be found on the West Midlands Police Type=links;Linkid=7591;Title=website;Target=_blank;
     
  • visit the You can go on the True Vision Type=links;Linkid=7592;Title=website;Target=_blank; and fill in the online reporting form which will be forwarded to police for investigation
     
  • if an incident occurs on a train or the Midland Metro, text British Transport Police on 61016
     
  • if the incident is Islamophobic in nature, Tell MAMA, either by visiting Type=links;Linkid=7593;Title=Tell MAMA;Target=_blank; or calling on 0800 456 1226
     
  • if the incident is Anti-Semitic, it can be reported via Community Security Trust's website, Type=links;Linkid=7594;Title=Protecting our Jewish Community;Target=_blank;, or by calling 0208 457 9999

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "The Safer Wolverhampton Partnership and West Midlands Police take hate crime incredibly seriously, and all reports will be fully investigated by police.

"People should not suffer in silence; I would encourage anyone who has either been the victim of hate crime, or has witnessed an incident of hate crime, to contact the authorities."

National Hate Crime Awareness Week got underway on Saturday (8 October) and continues until Saturday 15 October, 2016.  For more information, please visit Type=links;Linkid=7595;Title=Stop Hate UK;Target=_blank;.

  • released: Monday 10 October, 2016