Tackling hate and prejudice

Everyone in Norfolk deserves to feel cared for, respected and equal.

We encourage reporting it to the Police immediately if:

You believe you have been a victim of a hate crime
You believe you have witnessed a hate crime

What is a hate crime?

A hate crime is defined by the Crown Prosecution Service as "any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice."

This can be based on a person's actual or perceived:

Race
Religion
Sexual orientation
Disability
Transgender identity

What forms can a hate crime take?

Hate crime can fall into one of three main types: physical assault, verbal abuse, and incitement to hatred.

Instances where vulnerable people are befriended to be exploited known as 'Mate Crime' may also be a hate crime.

Incitement to hatred occurs when someone acts in a way that is threatening and intended to stir up hatred. That could be in words, pictures, videos, music, and includes information posted on websites. Hate content may include:

Messages calling for violence against a specific person or group
Web pages that show pictures, videos or descriptions of violence against anyone due to their perceived differences
Chat forums where people ask other people to commit hate crimes against a specific person or group

Reporting hate crimes

If you have witnessed or experienced what you believe is a hate crime, you can report it at any time to Norfolk Constabulary:

In an emergency always phone 999
In a non-emergency phone 101
Report a hate crime online