Rose SimkinsDirector

11th September 2008

www.stophateuk.org

Background to Stop Hate UK

Established since 1995

A registered charity, Company Limited by Guarantee & Social Enterprise

Our Vision is: Raising awareness and understanding of Discrimination and Hate Crime, encouraging its reporting, and supporting the individuals and communities it affects

The Impact of Hate Crime

• Individuals and families– Health and well being– Living in fear and prisoners in their own home– Self esteem– Homelessness– Disengagement– Loss of employment or studying opportunities

Additional pressures on families include:– Child Development– Tensions within the home and impact on relationships

The Impact of Hate Crime

• Neighbourhoods– Lack of stability (short term occupancy)

• Properties boarded up

– Insecurity and fear (fear of all types of crime increases in areas of high tension/hate crime)

– Hostility, segregation and polarisation

– Reputation and perception

– Real danger and disorder

– Creates no-go areas

The Impact of Hate Crime

Communities

- Lack of cohesion

- Increased misperception

- Increased fear

- Inter racial/faith

The Impact of Hate Crime

• Agencies/Services– Schools– Police and Criminal Justice System– Healthcare services– Housing and homelessness– Support agencies

Challenges for Victims

• Recognising that they are victims of Hate Crime• Recognising that support is available• Knowing how to access appropriate support

– Cultural and language barriers• Trust and confidence in receiving support• Getting heard – being listened to• Knowing that their wishes for confidentiality will

be observed• Knowing whether the response received from

agencies is appropriate and fulfilling their needs

What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims?

• The Stop Hate Line - Hate incident reporting 24 hours a day, every day– Response to Stephen Lawrence Recommendation 16

• Immediate telephone support and information for victims and third-party reporters– Someone to listen to their concerns and help them

find appropriate support

• Provides a direct alternative to reporting to the Police

• Provides an independent and confidentail service

What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims?

• Face to face casework support – Emotional support

– Practical Support• Target hardening

– Explore options and rights

– Evidence building

– Partnership working

– Monitor, evaluate and challenge agencies’ performance

What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims?

• Youth and Community Services– Community development work– Breaking down barriers– Intensive work with young victims and

perpetrators– Training and consultancy in schools– Resource design

Outcomes of Stop Hate UK’s work

• Individuals supported – Activity ceased – successful mediation

• ASBO, NISP, harassment warnings, ABC, etc

– Increased housing priority– Rehoused– Perpetrator convicted– Disciplinary procedures in school/workplace– Wider support addresses other needs

• Increased cohesion and integration, resulting in fewer serious incidents and increased opportunities for different groups and communities to mix

How should things move forward for victims?

• Raise the profile of Hate Crime reporting, justice, and awareness of how serious an impact it can have

• Provide easily accessible and trusted methods of reporting Hate Crime

• Improve partnership working and accountability• Ensure system is transparent, and that victims are

kept informed of outcomes

Other initiatives to reduce incidents of Hate Crime

• More work with potential perpetrators

• Increased general awareness and feeling of responsibility for the safety of our communities

• Increased understanding of tensions, and capacity to respond to them

Added value of the Stop Hate Line in reducing Hate Crime

• Partnership working to deal with Hate Crime

• A recognisable brand that increases awareness of the concept of Hate Crime

• Network across UK sharing and developing models of good practice

The Stop Hate Line: What does Stop Hate UK

deliver?• Provide a 24 hour reporting service for all forms of Hate Crime

• Provide promotional material templates currently in 26 community languages, Braille, large print, words into pictures, audio.

• Template newsletter articles and press release• Promotes Hate Crime Reporting across the UK• Cover the helpline using trained operators • Provides immediate support and signposting to callers• Works with other agencies to find solutions• Disseminate referrals to referral point in caller’s local

area• Local statistics and comparative information on

performance compared to other parts of the UK

Working in Partnership

• Stop Hate UK operates the line in West Yorkshire, Hull, Oldham, Wolverhampton, Merseyside, Peterborough, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, the London Borough of Havering, and Derbyshire.