HATE CRIME PREVENTION (SCOTLAND)


Although there are localised references to Scotland, the information provided below on how to recognise and report hate crime broadly apply across the UK.

Hate Crime is defined as crime committed against a person or property that is motivated by ‘malice or ill-will towards an identifiable social group’. It is likely that you have been a victim of a hate crime if you believe that you have been targeted because of your:

  • race
  • religion
  • sexual orientation
  • transgender identity
  • disability

If you believe that you have targeted because of the above, please tell the police about it. They take hate crime very seriously. If you tell them that you think in incidents is motivated by prejudice, they must record and investigate this.

  • physical assault
  • criminal damage to property eg. graffiti, arson, vandalism
  • intimidating or threatening behaviour including obscene calls or gestures
  • online abuse such as face book and twitter postings
  • offensive literature such as letters, leaflets, posters
  • verbal abuse or insults including name-calling or offensive ‘jokes’
  • emotional and psychological abuse
  • bullying
  • murder

If you experience or witness a Hate Incident, whether it’s a crime or not and no matter how trivial or unimportant you may think it is, your complaint will be recorded and taken seriously when you choose to report it to the police. You can make a report:

  • through a Third Party Reporting Centre
  • by calling 101
  • through the On-Line Reporting facility available on the Police Scotland website.

REMEMBER – ALWAYS CALL THE POLICE ON 999 IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE HELP.

There are a number of reasons why reporting Hate Crime is important.

  • If you are a victim you can receive support and advice to make you safer
  • It could stop the perpetrator from offending again
  • All reports help build a picture of Hate Crime in your community and in Glasgow. They tell us if there’s a problem in a particular neighbourhood or if a community is being targeted. Then we can tackle the problem.
  • It may prevent a minor situation developing into a more serious one
  • You will help to raise awareness of the issue and lead to a change in attitudes
  • Your information may lead to an arrest and conviction
  • You will help us to prevent hate incidents in the future

Many people, for various reasons, are reluctant to report crime directly to the police. Victims and witnesses of hate crimes can report, without contacting the police directly, through a Third party Reporting Centre. The Third Party Reporting Centre is a safe and supportive space to discuss your complaint. If you want to report it to the police they can do this on your behalf. The police act on this as if they had received the report directly from you.

You can ask the Third Party Reporting Centre to give as much or as little personal information to the police as you want- you don’t have to give your name if you don’t want to. These centres have received appropriate training and can provide you with any additional support or advice required.

You can find a list of some of the Glasgow Third Party Reporting Centres at the end of this leaflet. For a full list please visit our website www.hatecrimescotland.org or www.scotland.police.uk

On-line Reporting lets you make a direct and confidential report to the police through their website. The report can be anonymous although this may limit the action that the police can take. To report on-line visit www.scotland.police.uk and click on Report Hate Crime.