A hate crime is any crime which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated, wholly or partly, by malice or ill will towards a social group
There are seven social groups protected under hate crime legislation. These are on the basis of age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics.
Some examples of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime include:
- Emotional harm: for example verbal abuse, bullying or being threatened or intimidated in any way linked to your sexuality and/or gender identity.
- Physical and/or sexual harm: including physical assault, inappropriate touching or non-consensual sex.
- Use or publication of intimate images of your body without consent, based on your sexuality or gender identity.
- Having your home or belongings targeted with graffiti or vandalism based on your sexuality and/or identity.
- Your friends and family being abused or targeted because of your sexual orientation or gender identity.
Crimes that are motivated by an individuals HIV status would count as hate crimes under the ‘disability’ characteristic.
If you have experienced a hate crime you might be nervous about reporting it directly to the police. We can support you to access remote reporting which allows you to report crimes to the police anonymously, or be with you should you need to give information or make a statement.
If you’re concerned about hate crime, or have been a victim, and want to talk about it confidentially, you can contact us. Please note that we cannot offer legal advice.
You can report hate crime in the following ways:
- In person at any police station
- By calling Police Scotland on 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency)
- By completing a Hate Crime Reporting Form
- At a Third Party Reporting Centre
- On a train – Text British Transport Police on 61016
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