'Hate incidents' and 'hate crimes' are terms used to describe acts of hostility, prejudice or violence directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are. They are motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's disability, race, gender, sexuality, religion or transgender identity.
Hate incidents
A hate incident is any incident perceived by the victim, or any witnesses, as being motivated by prejudice or hate towards any aspect of a person’s identity, for example:
- verbal abuse
- harassment
- bullying or intimidation
- physical attacks such as pushing or spitting
- threats of violence
- hoax calls, abusive phone or text messages, hate mail
- online abuse
- displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters
- harm or damage to things such as your home, pet, or vehicle
- graffiti
However, please know that this is not an exhaustive list. Just because something isn’t included here doesn’t mean it isn’t a hate incident.
It's also a hate incident if the perpetrator makes a mistake about someone's identity, for example if they target a person because they think they are gay, or a Muslim, but they aren’t.
Hate crime
It's also a hate incident if the perpetrator makes a mistake about someone's identity, for example if they target a person because they think they are gay, or a Muslim, but they aren’t.
Hate crime
When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes. A criminal offence is something that breaks the law. Some examples of hate crimes include:
- assaults
- criminal damage
- harassment
- sexual assault
- theft
- fraud
- burglary
- hate mail
Race and religious hate crime
Racist and religious crime is particularly hurtful to victims as they are being targeted solely because of their personal identity: their actual or perceived racial or ethnic origin, belief or faith. These crimes can happen randomly or be part of a campaign of continued harassment and victimisation.
Homophobic and transphobic hate crime
Historically, incidents against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people have been rarely reported and even more rarely prosecuted. Research suggest that victims of, or witnesses to, such incidents have very little confidence in the criminal justice system.
Disability hate crime
Disability hate crime
Feeling and being unsafe through violence, harassment or negative stereotyping has a significant impact on disabled people's sense of security and wellbeing. It also impacts significantly on their ability to participate both socially and economically in their communities.
Find out more
Find out more
Citizens Advice provides advice if you think you’ve experienced a hate crime or hate incident.
The Crown Prosecution Service has published its prosecution guidance for:
- Racist and religious hate crime
- Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime
- Disability Hate Crime and other crimes against disabled people
True Vision offers guidance on reporting hate crime and hate incidents. If you do not wish to talk to anyone in person about the incident or wish to remain anonymous there is an online form for reporting hate crime; you can report non-crime hate incidents to the police to try and prevent any escalation in seriousness.
Internet Hate Crime. True Vision also provide further information on internet hate crime.