Hate Crime or Incident

Experiencing or witnessing a hate crime or incident can be deeply upsetting. There’s no right or wrong way to feel, and you can do something about it.

Whether it happened to you or someone you know, you don’t have to deal with it alone. This article explains what a hate crime is, provides examples, and outlines what you can do next.

Hate crimes and incidents are unacceptable and against university policies. Hate crimes may be considered an aggravated offence in UK law and carry a higher penalty.

What is a hate crime?

A hate crime is any criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person because of their:

  • Race or ethnicity
  • Religion or beliefs
  • Disability
  • Sexual orientation
  • Trans identity

The victim does not have to be from one of these groups — it’s about the perpetrator’s perception and/or motivation. 

Some police forces also record incidents motivated by misogyny (hatred of women) or other forms of prejudice, even if they aren’t formally recognised as hate crimes under national law yet. [Add details here about your local police force]

Hate crimes are not only about physical violence — they can include verbal abuse, damage to property, harassment, and online abuse, as long as they involve a criminal offence.

Examples of hate crimes

Hate crimes can take many forms. Some examples include:

  • Physical assault motivated by someone’s race, religion, or sexuality
  • Threats or harassment targeting someone because of their disability
  • Verbal abuse or slurs aimed at someone because they are trans
  • Damage to property (e.g., vandalism of places of worship, defacing pride flags)
  • Social media posts calling for violence against a specific person 
  • Group chat messages asking other people to commit hate crimes against a specific person or group

What is a hate incident?

A hate incident is a non-crime incident driven by hate. 

Examples of hate incidents include:

Verbal or online abuse, insults or harassment, such as taunting, offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace.

You can report a hate incident even if you don’t think it’s very serious. Sometimes, small hate incidents can lead to more serious ones, and we appreciate that hate incidents, regardless of their severity, can have a significant negative impact on people’s wellbeing

I have experienced a hate crime or incident

Your safety and wellbeing

  • Are you in danger? If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, you can contact the emergency services on 999.
  • Find a safe space. If you feel unsafe, find a trusted person or safe space immediately.
  • Seek support. Consider whether you need medical support or emotional support (e.g., from a friend, family member, or a professional). Further information about support services [insert link] 

Document What Happened

  • Write down what happened as soon as you can, including dates, times, places, and any witnesses.
  • Keep any evidence (e.g., messages, emails, photos).
  • This is helpful whether or not you decide to report it.

Consider reporting and seeking a resolution

  • Report + Support. Students, staff and visitors can share the details of an incident [Insert link] using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or with your name and contact details. If you report with your name and contact details, you can request support from an advisor. If you choose to talk to an advisor, they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you, in confidence.
  • University Procedures and Resolution. If you choose to make a report to the University about a student or member of staff there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow and the possible resolutions available to you. Further information about procedures and resolution options. [insert link].
  • Share anonymously. You can choose to share anonymously, meaning no identifying information has to be shared. This option also includes the ability to opt into continued communication with a case worker. Further information about anonymous reporting [insert link]. 
  • Share with contact details. You can choose to share your experience and give your contact details so that you get a direct response. You can choose who your report goes to [insert link]. 
  • Reporting to the police. True Vision is a dedicated website provided by the police for reporting hate crimes. https://www.report-it.org.uk/ 

Take your time

  • You don’t have to make decisions straight away. It’s okay to take the time you need to think about what’s right for you. 
  • Take the time to read and understand what your options are.
  • Request to speak to an advisor through Report + Support and discuss your options.

Where to get support

Someone I know has experienced a hate crime or incident

Listen without judgement or interruption

  • Let them lead the conversation — focus on what they want to share.
  • Avoid asking “why” questions that could sound like blame.
  • Use phrases like:
    • “Thank you for telling me.”
    • “That shouldn’t have happened to you.”
    • “I’m here for you.”

Believe them

  • One of the most powerful things you can do is believe them.
  • Harassment linked to protected characteristics is often minimised or dismissed by others; don’t contribute to that.
  • Avoid playing down what happened or making excuses for the perpetrator.

Understand the Context

  • Harassment related to identity often isn’t an isolated incident — it can be part of wider patterns of discrimination or marginalisation.
  • Acknowledge that their experience may be shaped by repeated exposure to prejudice or exclusion.
  • You don’t have to fully “understand” their experience — just accept that it’s real and valid.

Offer practical help and options

  • Ask what they would like from you:
    • “Would you like help reporting this?”
    • “Do you want me to come with you to speak to someone?”
    • “Would you like me to just sit with you while you decide?”
  • Help them explore their options, but don’t pressure them to take any particular action.
  • Research options available to them (see section on I have experienced a hate crime or other pages on this site).

 Respect their decisions

  • Whether they choose to report or not, that’s their choice.
  • If they don’t feel safe or ready to report, respect that decision.

Look after yourself too

  • Supporting someone through a difficult experience can also take an emotional toll on you. It’s okay to seek support yourself (without breaking their confidentiality).
  • Know your limits of how much you can support someone and what is too much for you to offer.

 Educate yourself

  • Take the responsibility to learn more about the forms of discrimination connected to their experience (e.g., racism, ableism, homophobia) so they don’t have to carry the burden of explaining everything to you. This is a great way to show someone you care about them. This allyship in action, and you can read more about allyship on our dedicated webpages [insert link].

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There are two ways you can tell us what happened

Share anonymously or Share with contact details