Hate Crime / Hate Incidents
Hate crimes / hate incidents can take place anywhere – at home, in the streets, at work, online or at school.
No-one should have to live with the fear, anxiety and consequences of hate.
Reporting it when it happens will help the Police to deal with it and may prevent these incidents from happening to someone else. You will also help the police understand the extent of hate crime in your local area so they can better respond to it.
This page includes information on:
- What is Hate Crime and Hate Non-crime
- How to report it
- What happens after you've reported it (includes BSL video)
Click here to read about our Hate Hurts campaign
What is a Hate Crime?
A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on:
- a person’s race or perceived race, or
- any racial group or ethnic background including countries within the UK and Gypsy and Traveller groups
- a person’s religion or perceived religion, or
- any religious group including those who have no faith
- a person’s sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, or
- any person’s sexual orientation
- a person’s disability or perceived disability, or
- any disability including physical disability, learning disability and mental health or developmental disorders
- a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender,
- including people who are transsexual, transgender, cross dressers and those who hold a Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
Hate crime examples include:
- Physical attacks, such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti and arson;
- Threat of attack, such as inciting hatred by words, pictures or videos, offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate, and unfounded malicious complaints.
What is a Non-Crime Hate Incident?
Any non-crime incident which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on:
- a person’s race or perceived race, or
- any racial group or ethnic background including countries within the UK and Gypsy and Traveller groups
- a person’s religion or perceived religion, or
- any religious group including those who have no faith
- a person’s sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, or
- any person’s sexual orientation
- a person’s disability or perceived disability, or
- any disability including physical disability, learning disability and mental health or developmental disorders
- a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender,
- including people who are transsexual, transgender, cross dressers and those who hold a Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
Non-crime hate incidents must also be recorded by the police and Force policy outlines how they should be recorded locally.
For allegations of Hate Incidents, Police need to apply their judgement in establishing whether there is hostility towards a protected characteristic group. If, having applied their judgement and taking account of the full context, no hostility is found, the Incident would not be recorded as a Hate Incident.
Non-crime hate incident examples include:
- Verbal or online abuse, insults or harassment, such as taunting, offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace.
- A hate incident doesn't mean that we won't take it seriously if someone reports it.
YouTube Video
How do I report a Hate Crime / Incident?
A hate crime / Incident can be reported by:
- Calling 999 in an emergency. You can also text using the emergencySMS facility by texting 999. You need to register first by texting 'register' to 999
- Call 101 for non-emergencies
- Use Text Relay/TypeTalk on 18001 101
- For non-emergency hate incidents use our online hate crime reporting form
- Use our LiveChat facility at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101LiveChat
- Call in person at any police station (click here to find your nearest police station)
- If you would rather not speak to a Police Officer, you can : -
- contact Stop Hate UK - (free reporting App available)
- contact True Vision
- contact Tell MAMA for Islamophic hate crimes or hate incidents
- contact Community Security Trust (CST) for anti-Semitic hate crimes or hate incidents
- use one of the independent Hate Incident Reporting Centres provided by Local Authorities across West Yorkshire (click here to find the nearest one to where you live)
- contact Childline : Call 0800 1111
If you are reporting online hate related abuse, please report it using the True Vision link above.
If you have been the victim of behaviour you felt was inappropriate by a police officer or member of police staff you can report a police complaint.
What happens after you have reported a Hate Crime / Incident?
All hate crimes / incidents are investigated thoroughly. Not all cases will be put before the Court, but when a hate incident is received the views of the victim are always considered. One of our specialist Hate Crime Officers, Emma Harrison, talks about what happens when a hate crime is reported in the video below.
BSL Signed Video
Working with partners to raise awareness of hate crime
West Yorkshire Police work with partners to raise awareness of hate crime, increase reporting and support victims. These include the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, working together on a joint ‘Hate Hurts’ campaign, which highlights what hate crime is and what we are doing to help tackle it. Click here to view our Hate Hurts posters, infographics, leaflets and Easy Read information
We work regularly with hate leads in West Yorkshire local authorities, and other reporting services such as Stop Hate UK, Community Safety Trust, TellMama and Bradford Hate Crime Alliance.
Hate Crime Awareness Week
Video - T/ACC Damien Miller
Page last reviewed November 2022