Launch of hate incident reporting centres

Victims of hate incidents[i] can now report them safely and in confidence to any of three new reporting centres in the city. Possability People, The Racial Harrassment Forum and The Rainbow Hub are working together as third party reporting centres so anyone who has been targeted in a hate incident can safely report to a confidential service.

In  the year ending March 2021, there were 124,091 hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales[ii].

Vicky Passow, who has a long term health condition said:

“I wish there had been a hate incident reporting centre when I was harassed on the street. The incident left me feeling vulnerable and scared and I didn’t feel like anyone would take notice or care. Knowing there is a safe space with an organisation which represent me feels like a huge step forward in providing people with somewhere to find support”.

A hate incident is one which is motivated by prejudice because someone is disabled, because of their faith, race or religion, sexuality or because they are transgender.

Geraldine Des Moulins, Chief Executive of Possability People said:

“It’s a horrible fact that people face daily abuse because they are thought of as being different. This is certainly true for disabled people. Whether it’s verbal harassment in the street, ongoing bullying or a physical act, these are all hate incidents and we know from our service users they can a devastating impact.

“As an independent and impartial reporting centre, together with The Racial Harrassment Forum and The Rainbow Hub, we are here to support anyone who has had to deal with a hate incident. If that’s you, please get in touch; you will be listened to and taken seriously”.

Councillor Steph Powell, co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee, said:

“It’s great to see the Hate Crime Third Party Reporting Centres up and running in the city offering another support option for anyone affected by hate incidents. “It’s acknowledged good practice to have centres where people can report hate incidents in a safe and confidential space.

“We know that not everyone wants to report to statutory bodies such as the council or the police, so it’s important for us to work with trusted community partners to make sure everyone has the option of reporting hate crime where they feel comfortable.

“Everyone has a right to feel safe. Brighton & Hove is a diverse city, and we’re proud of our commitment to equality and inclusion for all people. We do not accept any form of hate in our city.

“If you’ve been affected by hate crime, please do report it wherever you feel comfortable. You will be listened to and you will be taken seriously.”

Notes to editors

Image attached with contact details of all three independing reporting centres. For publication.

[i] A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender.

Not all hate incidents will amount to criminal offences, but it is equally important that these are reported and recorded by the police.

[ii] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2020-to-2021/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2020-to-2021