What is hate crime?

Hate crime is an incident that targets someone based on their social identity because of:

• disability
• gender identity
• race, ethnicity or nationality
• religion, faith or belief
• sexual orientation

Hate crimes can take place anywhere, in person or online, and includes:

• verbal abuse
• threatening behaviour
• damage to property
• physical assault
• offensive graffiti
• offensive comments or images on social media or text messages

What happens when I report hate crime?

We'll contact you to talk about what we can do to make you feel safer. We usually do this within one working day. We may ask our liaison officers or victim support to talk to you.

We'll investigate the incident so we can take appropriate action. This could include prosecution, restorative justice, enforcement action by Berneslai Homes, or a warning.

Can I report for someone else?

Yes. If you witness a hate incident you can report this. You can report it even if you don’t know the name of the person it happened to.

Can I report anonymously?

Yes you can, although it may make it difficult to investigate.

Other ways to report hate crime

As well as the ways listed above, you can also report hate crime to:

• Barnsley Council on (01226) 775656 or send an email to the Safer Barnsley Team at safer@barnsley.gov.uk
  
  
• Library @ the Lightbox, 1 Glass Works, Barnsley, S70 1GW or send an email to Barnsley libraries at barnsleylibraryenquiries@barnsley.gov.uk
  
  
• Adult Learning Services, Floor 2, Wellington House, Market Street, Barnsley, S70 1WA on (01226) 775270 or 775271 or send an email to Adult Learning at adultlearning@bansley.gov.uk
  
  
• Berneslai Homes on (01226) 787878 or send an email to Berneslai Homes at customerservices@berneslaihomes.co.uk
  
  
• Victim Support on (01226) 243761. Victim Support responds to the individual needs of victims and witnesses living in Barnsley via telephone support, home visits or office visits.  Volunteers are trained in hate crime
  
  
• Citizens Advice Barnsley (CAB) on 03444 111 444 Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm, or if you're deaf or hard of hearing you can use text relay on 03444 111 445. You can also contact Citizens Advice Barnsley online. CAB provide guidance and advice to members of the public about debt, employment, housing, benefits, tax credits and immigration issues.
  
  
• Refugee Council, 23 Queens Road, Barnsley, S71 1AN on (01226) 320111. The Refugee Council offers support and advice for those seeking asylum and refugees.
  
  
• Education Learning Support Hub (ELSH), 5 Warren Quarry Lane, Barnsley, S70 4NF on (01226) 643249.  Providing learning to help adults not in education, employment or training, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.  

• Reporting hate crime to True Vision online. True Vision provides hate crime information and advice.
  
  
• Stop Hate UK
  
  
• Tell Mama (Measuring Muslim Attacks)