Hate Crime Awareness Week

National Hate Crime Awareness Week takes place next week, from 9 to 6 October.  A hate crime is anything that targets a person for their race, ethnicity or nationality, for their disability, their gender or sexual orientation, or their religion, faith or beliefs.

Throughout the week there will be activities in schools and in the wider community to help raise awareness of hate crimes as well as how to report them. This year there will be a particular focus on hate crime on the LGBT+ community as people in the LGBT+ community are less likely to report hate crime.

The Borough Council's Community Safety team and Hinckley Police will be out in the community speaking to individuals such as members of the Learning Friendship Disability Network to tell them about Keep Safe Places – a scheme available in shops and other public areas to help people to deal with any incidents that take place when they are out and about - hate crime reporting centres and tips on keeping safe.  

Council Officers, representatives from True Colours, a local LGBT+ group and the police will also be at a special market stall in Hinckley on Saturday 16 October from 10am-2pm where anyone can pick up information about local support and find out how to report a hate crime as well as pick up free crime prevention gadgets including light timers, purse bells and magnetic window locks.

Diversity workshops in primary schools will aim to help youngsters to understand how people are all different and unique, as well as the impact of hate crimes and bullying on the victim and how to get help if they or someone they know needs support. 

The aim of the activity is to change people’s attitudes around hate crimes to help perpetrators understand the effect their actions have on people and give victims the confidence to seek justice.

Councillor Michael Mullaney, Executive Member for Housing and Community Safety at the Borough said:

I welcome the work that is going on in the borough to increase awareness of hate crimes and encourage anyone being targeted because of who they are to report it. There’s more information available online or visit our Hate Crime stall on Hinckley Market on Saturday 16 October to learn more about reporting hate crime.

Hate crime and hate incidents can be reported online (leics.police.uk) or by calling the police on 101.  

Alternatively, hate incidents can be reported in person at independent reporting centres which are available across Hinckley & Bosworth