Hate Crime

Hate crime is an act of harassment, abuse or victimisation against an individual or group because of their race, age, religion, gender, sexuality, or disability which the victim or any other person perceives to be a hate crime.

Hate crime and harassment can cause a person to feel humiliated, embarrassed or angry.  It can, in extreme circumstances, cause death or injury and will almost always cause stress, anxiety and fear.  Repeated harassment may lead to severe distress, making life intolerable.

We celebrate the diversity found within our communities and seek to provide an environment in which all employees, customers and members of the public can live free from discrimination and harassment.

We have adopted the definition of hate crime found in the Association of Chief Police Officers Hate Crime Manual 2003 in which hate crime is taken to mean:

"any crime where the perpetrator's prejudice against an identifiable group of people is a factor in determining who is victimised".  

Hate Crime Manual 2003

 

This definition of hate crime covers incidents in which the perpetrator's conduct is motivated in whole, or in part, by hatred, bias, or prejudice based upon the actual or perceived race, gender, disability, sexuality, religion, faith and belief of another individual or group.