Hate Crime Awareness Week

A hate crime is any criminal offence targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards their race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.  If you have been harassed, abused or assaulted because of who you are or what you believe in, then you are a victim of hate crime.

Hate crime is generally under reported due to a lack of awareness of what hate crime is and some people don’t like to contact or visit the police to report a hate crime.  What many people don’t know is that WHBC is a designated Hate Crime Reporting Centre for anyone living or working in the Borough that has been a victim of a hate crime.  WHBC Hate Crime Champions are trained on how to help, support and advise victims of hate crime.  The community engagement events will be an opportunity for members of the public to meet WHBC Hate Crime Champions.  The events are being held on:

• Tuesday 15 October, 11:00 – 14:00 in the Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City, at the bottom of the escalators near the main entrance to the Centre.
• Thursday 17 October, 11:00 – 14:00 in the Galleria, Hatfield, on the Upper floor next to the welcome desk.

Councillor Sandreni Bonfante, Executive Member for Environment, said:

“Hate crimes are serious crimes and should not be tolerated in today’s society.  I hope that these events will help raise awareness about hate crimes and I would encourage anyone that has been harassed, abused or assaulted because of who they are or what they believe in, to report what has happened to them to the police or if they feel more comfortable, by talking to Hate Crime Champions at WHBC.  I can assure residents that every victim of hate crime will be treated with the utmost sensitivity by WHBC staff and each case will be taken extremely seriously.”

Inspector Amy Sheldon, from the Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We are pleased to join colleagues at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council for these events during Hate Crime Awareness Week.  It is great that the Council has relaunched their Third Party Reporting Centre.  Whilst we encourage all victims of hate crimes and hate incidents to contact police, we appreciate that some people may not feel comfortable doing so. The Third Party Reporting Centre gives you that extra option for making a report in a way that you are happy with.

“We take hate crime extremely seriously and the constabulary has dedicated Hate Crime Officers who are specially trained to help victims. Please be assured that if you do find yourself the victim of a hate crime, you will be completely supported by us no matter what avenue you use to report it.”

To report a hate crime to WHBC, you can come to our office in Welwyn Garden City during opening hours and ask to speak to a Hate Crime Champion. Hate crimes can also be reported to police via the non-emergency number 101. In an emergency, where there is an immediate threat to life or property, always dial 999.  Or if you do not feel comfortable talking directly to the somebody, you can report a hate crime online.