The official definition of a hate crime is: "Any hate incident, which constitutes a criminal offence, perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate."
It is often motivated by the individual or group offender's prejudice which can be based on:
- Race
- Religion
- Disability
- Sexual orientation or
- Transgender (Gender Identity)
- Alternative sub-culture
Se also Greater Manchester Police - Hate crimes.
Hate Crime does not always result in physical violence, it can take many forms and be manifest through verbal or psychological abuse.
It can be such things as:
- being called names on the street
- insulting graffiti of property
- threatening letters or
- offensive material and phone harassment
These can all have a huge impact on you as a victim and therefore are classed as a hate crime.
If you suffer Hate Crime or witness it being perpetrated, it is essential that it is reported. This allows the correct authorities to deal with it and can help provide information that will improve support for victims and prevent further instances of Hate Crime occurring.
In Bury, our aim is to prevent and reduce the levels of hate crime by ensuring victims and witnesses of hate crime are supported and offenders are brought to justice.