Hate crime - finding togetherness in a world apart

Guest blog by Jessica Rees, Victim Support National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre Wales.

Charity organisations across the globe have experienced seismic changes in the way they work.

There has been a large emphasis on partnerships working with organisations with the same goals of working together to fundraise, deliver better services and drive more impact. The collaboration process has included greater efficiency of resources and a stronger response from marginalised communities, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The death of George Floyd sparked protests and brought the topic of racism and hate crime to the mass media.

Within Wales, protests took place, with many people speaking out on the inequalities that face the black community; these protests included many different ethnicities allying, showing the diversity of the community in efforts to raise awareness of both race and hate crimes.

Within Victim Support’s National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre, we have adapted our services to make them more accessible virtually.

We have actively encouraged online reporting to new and emerging groups who work with people under the protected characteristics, as well as developing a brand new virtual hate crime training package to raise awareness on reporting procedures that people can access from their own homes.

We have also supported other charities who have held virtual awareness events, such as Pride Cymru, who have celebrated differences and diversity with online speakers, videos and key messages of the importance of individualism.

Victim Support has been able to continue its dedicated hate crime service through online and telephone support, often being the only interaction isolated service users had from one week to the next in the midst of the national lockdown.

Referrals into the service increased by almost 90% when compared with pre-lockdown figures, indicating perhaps a new-found empowerment and confidence to report - but also a worrying reality of the state of hate in Wales.
 

This National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Victim Support Cymru and Crimestoppers Wales are collaborating to bring a digital campaign to life, focusing on empowering people to speak out against hate crime.

This message will also be focusing on the community to act as witnesses and allies to protect members of their community against hate by reporting safely and anonymously through Crimestoppers, and accessing support via Victim Support.

Ensuring communities stay connected and informed with new initiatives that will make tangible impacts is at the forefront in the fight against hate crime. Victim Support Cymru have produced a Hate Crime Charter that highlights the rights of victims and communities when hate incidents and crimes take place. The charter sets out how we will always work on behalf of and in the best interests of victims and communities, treating them with respect and in confidence.

Any organisations that adopt the charter are committing to ensuring that all staff and volunteers will abide by the charter’s promises whenever they come into contact with those affected by hate crime and work on building cohesive communities and inclusive environments.

We’re not going to stop in our efforts to make a safer and better society through our services, and the one thing that I always want to stress is how, throughout this challenging time, we have still seen a surge in the best of people.

So many of us are standing up to hate and discrimination, standing together and sharing our voices and stories. Soon the worst times will fade, and we’ll be a stronger community for it, brought together in the face of something that we can, and will, defeat.
 
Click or tap here to learn more about the joint campaign.

For more information about the work of Victim Support’s National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre and for free and confidential support, visit: reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk.



For more information and resources supporting National Hate Crime Awareness Week, visit nationalhcaw.uk.