Charities ask Wales to Speak up and Stop Hate Crime

This National Hate Crime Awareness Week, the independent charity  Crimestoppers has teamed up with  Victim Support Cymru in a new Wales campaign, to urge people to speak up against prejudice. 

Whilst cases of hate crime have increased this year, the charities say there continues to be a lack of understanding and reporting of incidents. A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation. 

Cases of hate crime in Wales referred to Victim Support’s National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre have grown by around 70% since April 2020. 

In one case, a partially-sighted woman walking during the daytime along a South Wales street, was the victim of an unprovoked assault, targeted due to her disability. As well as the physical injuries, she felt extremely isolated following the incident, compounded by shielding during this Covid-19 pandemic. 

Critical to the conviction of the perpetrator of this attack was an important witness who came forward. Crimestoppers is encouraging the public to stand up against hate crime in their community by giving information about incidents 100% anonymously to them.

Ella Rabaiotti, National Manager for Crimestoppers in Wales, said:

“Crimestoppers believes that crime motivated by hatred or prejudice is never acceptable which is why we always encourage people to come forward with information. Hate crime can happen in your neighbourhood or online; victims may be subjected to physical or verbal abuse, or suffer damage to their property. 

“Often victims and witnesses are unclear whether an offence has been committed or believe that there is little they can do. Be confident that if you have information about hate crime, there is always something you can do to help – by telling us what you know 100% anonymously – guaranteed, by calling our UK Contact Centre which is open 24/7 on freephone number 0800 555 111 or by using our simple and secure anonymous online form atwww.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

Jessica Rees, Manager of Victim Support’s National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre Wales, said:

“This National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Victim Support Cymru and Crimestoppers are collaborating to bring a digital campaign to life, focusing on empowering people to speak out against hate crime. This message will encourage the community to stand together against hate by reporting safely and anonymously through Crimestoppers and accessing support via Victim Support.

“Throughout this challenging time, we have still seen a surge in the best of people. Many of us are standing up to hate and discrimination, standing together and sharing our voices and stories. Soon the worst times will fade and we will be a stronger community for it, brought together in the face of something that we can, and will defeat.”

You can find out more about this campaign here.

Information on hate crime can be passed to Crimestoppers’ by using the untraceable anonymous online form atwww.crimestoppers-uk.org or via the 0800 555 111freephone number.

If you are a victim of Hate Crime, contact the Victim Support Hate Crime Team, for free and confidential support, on 0300 3031 982 or online viahttps://www.reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk/