What is a Hate Crime?
A hate crime, refers to any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person’s disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.
Crimes based on hostility due to age, gender, or appearance, for example, can also be hate crimes, although they are not part of the five centrally monitored strands.
While hostility can sometimes be defended as being fair debate, police officers will consider the context of the incident, the words or behaviour used, and could it reasonably be considered as motivated by hostility to ensure that vulnerable people are kept safe from abuse and harm
The police may also consider on an individual basis whether an incident may be dealt with in a way that is less intrusive and may consider signposting to alternative areas of support.
PAN-LANCASHIRE HATE CRIME STRATEGY
The Hate Crime Strategy links with the wider partnership within Lancashire and brings together representatives from Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Council to set the strategic direction and coordinate a joint partnership response to tackle hate crime within the region. The Hate Crime Strategy is managed and implemented by the Lancashire Strategic Hate Crime and Cohesion Group through a joint county wide delivery plan.
Our Approach
Lancashire benefits from a strong multi-agency commitment to tackling and preventing hate crime in all its forms. Across all the partners there is real sense of energy and commitment to ensuring victims are protected and that perpetrators are brought to justice and encouraged to address their offending behaviour.
The Lancashire Strategic Hate Crime and Cohesion Group brings together a range of partners from public and voluntary sectors. These include:
Lancashire County Council, District and Unitary Councils in Lancashire, Lancashire Constabulary, Crown Prosecution Service, educational institutions and key public sector organisations across Lancashire.
The governance of the group is set within the framework of its terms of reference.
The UK Government has identified a plan for tackling hate crime, over the coming months and years. The plan, simply called Action against hate is a plan for tackling hate crime. This was launched in July 2016 and outlined the key priorities in addressing hate crime. The objectives in this strategy are aligned with the key national objectives:
1. Preventing hate crime
2. Responding to hate in our communities
3. Increasing the reporting of hate crime
4. Improving support for the victims of hate crime
5. Building our understanding of hate crime
This strategy is inclusive of all strands of hate crime encompassed and defined by the legislative framework. There are five centrally monitored strands of hate crime:
• Race
• Religion/faith
• Sexual orientation
• Disability
• Gender-identity
THE FIVE Rs
The Context
The county’s key priority areas were shared with the groups representing the protected characteristics (as identified by the Equalities Act 2010) of hate crime as part of the consultation undertaken on 9th December 2021. The groups identified key areas of concern they felt needed to be addressed. Stakeholders also identified areas they felt we needed to stay focused on and have played a significant role in the creation of the strategy.
Our Aim
The Hate Crime Strategy 2022 – 2025 has been produced by Lancashire Constabulary and the Lancashire County Councils. The aim of the strategy is to support and highlight Lancashire’s approach to addressing hate crime in the county.
The purpose of this strategy is to outline the county’s hate crime priorities and establish a plan that has been agreed by key stakeholders.
Reduction: Preventing hate crime
We will prevent hate crime by addressing and raising awareness of the beliefs and attitudes that can lead to hate. We recognize the importance of preventing hate crime and are committed to challenging those attitudes that can lead to discrimination and divisions within our society.
Response: Responding to hate in our communities
We aim to reduce the number of hate crime incidents, improve detection rates of hate crime in our county and provide positive outcomes for victims. We will focus on several settings that have emerged as high-risk environments for hate crime, including public transport, the night-time economy, educational institutions, key occupations and the internet.
Reporting: Increasing the reporting of hate crime
We will continue to work to make it easier for those affected to report incidents of hate crime including through third party reporting centres. To give victims the confidence that their complaints will be taken seriously, we will work with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to demonstrate successes through case studies demonstrating successful prosecutions.
We will also focus on improving restorative justice and positive outcomes for victims of hate crime.
Reassurance: Improving support for the victims of hate crime
Research has shown that hate crimes cause victims greater distress than similar crimes without the same motivation. We will work with Lancashire Victim Services and other 3rd party community, faith and voluntary organisations to ensure victims are provided with timely, appropriate and effective support, including restorative solutions.
Research: Building our understanding of hate crime
To tackle hate crime, we need to understand the scale and nature of the problem. We will improve the data on hate crime and work with the police and our local authorities and partner organisations and others to improve our analysis and understanding of the drivers of hate crime.
The Strategic Hate Crime and Community Cohesion Group was established by Lancashire Constabulary and Lancashire County Council to offer governance, collaboration, and lead on the implementation of the Hate Crime Strategy.
The group is jointly led by Lancashire Constabulary and Lancashire County Council Cohesion Department and acts as the governance group to manage the strategic objectives of the Hate Crime Strategy. Consisting of partners from across the county including, Police, local authorities across Lancashire, Lancashire Victim Services and other key stakeholders, the group is our strategic partnership approach to addressing and responding to hate crime across the county.
Addressing Hate Crime in all its forms is key to a safe cohesive society for everyone who lives, works, and visits Lancashire.
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Community safety is all about the issues that make people safe, or unsafe, in their communities.
Achieving safer communities depends on everyone working together to find local solutions to local problems.
Everyone has the right to feel and be safe – to make sure this is possible, this responsibility is shared between:
- the community
- the public sector (such as the Council and the police)
- the private sector (such as local businesses)
- the faith sector (such as the local church)
- voluntary organisations.