Hate crime

Find out what hate crime is and how to report it, including support for victims

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Overview

Hate Crime is different to other types of crime because the offender is motivated by who the victim is or appears to be. Hate crime and incidents are acts that are motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's:

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

This includes crimes where the victim is targeted because of who they are or who they appear to be. You don't need to personally believe an incident is hate-related. It's enough if someone else, like a witness or a police officer, thinks it is.

It's important to report both hate crimes and hate incidents to help agencies address and prevent these acts.

For more information about hate crime, visit the Essex Police website.

Types of hate crime

There are many different types of hate crime. The most common types are physical assault, verbal abuse and incitement to hatred.

Physical assault

Any kind of physical attack is an offence. This should be reported to the police. Depending on the severity, the attacker could be charged with common assault, actual bodily harm, or grievous bodily harm.

Verbal abuse

This includes threats, name-calling, or any kind of verbal harassment. There are laws to protect you from verbal abuse. These incidents should be reported to the police or relevant organisations.

Incitement to hatred

Actions intended to stir up hatred, such as threatening words, pictures, videos, music, or online content. This can include:

  • messages calling for violence against a specific group or person
  • chat forums where people encourage others to commit hate crimes
  • web pages showing violence against people due to their perceived differences

Reporting hate crimes and incidents

It's important to report both hate crimes and hate incidents to help agencies address and prevent these acts. Even if you're unsure whether an offence has been committed, reporting can help improve community safety.

Find out how to report a hate crime or incident.