Hate Crime

What should you do following an incident?

Do tell someone about it: hate crime is inexcusable and should be dealt with as soon as possible. If you are at school or college, tell a teacher or staff member what has happened and they will help you sort it out and help you decide whether you want to inform the Police.

In any situation, it's your right to go to the Police, report a crime and have it investigated. If you are scared to go to the Police then report it to the Council or one of the third-party reporting sites.

If you become a victim of an incident, you should immediately:

Call 999 for the Police, and/or an ambulance
Do not retaliate: you could risk violence or make the situation worse
Get medical attention for injuries as soon as possible
Take photographs of any physical injuries, damage to property or belongings, for use as evidence
Take details of any witnesses
Report it as soon after the incident as is possible - you can do this in the ways outlined under 'How do I report' to make either an anonymous report or a crime report
If the Police come to the scene, get the officers' names and shoulder numbers so you can reach them if you remember something else or something happens again
When you report it, make sure you say why you think it is a hate incident - if you can be explicit about why you think you have been targeted
Write down all the details of the incident as soon as you can including descriptions of the perpetrator(s), their clothes, any distinguishing marks, any nearby vehicles or witnesses, and anything they said
Keep any evidence safe, such as clothing, photographs, letters or text messages. If the perpetrator may have left fingerprints somewhere do not touch the area, let the Police know

Keeping safe

In an emergency you should always contact the Police on 999.

Street safety

Take note of your surroundings
Avoid conflict
Appear confident
Stay with others
If you think there is danger, cross the street, change direction or get a licensed taxi
Try to avoid unlit or isolated areas at night
Avoid displaying valuables on your person
Avoid the distraction of talking on your phone or listening to music

Criminal injuries

If you have experienced a violent crime, you may be entitled to compensation. For further details on this you should visit the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) website.

Confidentiality

If you choose to report an incident to the Council, we will ask you if you want us to share your name and address with the Police. The Police will only contact you if you have given your permission for them to do so.

There may be some circumstances where, because of a serious risk to others, we would be legally required to share information with the Police without your consent. However this decision would always be discussed with you.

You do not have to give your personal details when you make a report. This still allows us to gather information on the levels of hate incidents, identify hotspots and share intelligence on incidents.

Extra support

Your specialist Council Officer will be able to refer you to local services that offer support, advice and information.

Contact

Domestic Violence and Hate Crime Manager

Community Safety and Prevention

Roycraft House

15 Linton Road

Barking

IG11 8HE

Supported by Barking and Dagenham Direct:

Tel: 020 8215 3010

Fax: 020 8227 5184

Textphone: 020 8227 5755

Email: hatecrime@lbbd.gov.uk|

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm.

Stop Hate Crime 24 hour helpline: 0800 138 1625