Police And Partners Join Forces For Hate Crime Awareness Week

North Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for North Wales have joined forces with Gwent, Dyfed Powys and South Wales Police forces to launch a campaign aimed at encouraging the reporting and awareness of hate crimes and incidents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The All Wales National Hate Crime Awareness Week, held between 8th and 15th October, is a national campaign that will highlight that police have a zero tolerance approach to hate crime; it can destroy lives, instil fear and break down the fabric of communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A hate crime is any crime that is targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards them. These can be motivated by a person’s disability, their race or ethnicity, their religion or belief, their sexual orientation or their transgender identity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chief Superintendent Sacha Hatchett, Chair of North Wales Police’ Diversity and Equality Committee said: “Nobody should have to live with the fear and anxiety that hate crimes and incidents cause. During Hate Crime Awareness Week we will be highlighting what a hate crime is and encouraging people to report hate crimes to us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a force, hate crime is something we take extremely seriously. However, this is a hidden type of crime and one of our key objectives is to encourage more people to report it by increasing the confidence of victims that it will be properly and sympathetically handled by the police when they do. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Everyone has the right to expect that they can go about their everyday life without the fear of becoming victims of prejudice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“My message is that any incident that someone thinks has been caused by their race, religion sexual orientation, disability or general identity they should tell us about it because it’s not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Arfon Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner said: “There are unfortunately many reasons why hate crime is prominent at the current time. The EU Referendum result, national rhetoric around immigration along with the concerns already held by many communities are just some of the things that have combined to increase fear and tensions within communities. Now is the time to shine a light on hate crime through Hate Crime Awareness Week and to encourage reporting for victims and also to deter perpetrators. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Hate crime is very personal. It is where an individual is targeted because of their identity or perceived difference. It can involve violence or hostility or discrimination and victims may have been bullied harassed or abused. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We all need to speak out against hate crime. Even if you think an individual incident is a small thing you should still report it, because if incidents are repeatedly happening to you or someone you know then the effect can be massive. Please, always report it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This year we are also addressing our message to perpetrators of hate crime. Think again. Hate crime is an offence and it can ruin lives. There are no winners where hate crime is concerned. We need to eradicate it from our communities for a safer North Wales.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Throughout the week the Force and Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office will be highlighting the campaign via social media and users are encouraged to follow the hashtags #HateCrimeCymru16 #Thinkagain and #SeeItHearItReportIt ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​