POLICE are marking International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Redditch today (Monday) by challenging some of the myths that exist around hate crime.
The United Nations’ event is marked worldwide and aims to remind people of the negative consequences of racial discrimination and encourage people to take action to tackle it.
Hate crimes of all types are under-reported on a national level and West Mercia Police is committed to giving people the confidence to report their ordeal.
During the event police will dispel hate crime myths including, ‘it happens too much to report each one’, they were only calling me names – I can’t all the police for that’ and ‘it happens all the time so I suppose I’ll just have to put up with it’.
Detective Chief Inspector Jason Downes said: “There are many reasons victims of hate crime don’t report their ordeal but today we’re telling people that there should never be a reason not to report it.
“Nobody should tolerate being victimised because of who they are – we take every report of a hate crime seriously and we will respond.
“By addressing some of the myths that exist around hate crime we can give victims the confidence to make a report and tackle the minority of people who commit these offences.”
There a number of ways to report a hate crime. In an emergency always call 999 but in a non-emergency you can call police on 101 or report the incident online at www.report-it.org.uk or stop police officers in the street.
Alternatively, call North Worcestershire Victim Support on 01527 66462 or South Worcestershire and Herefordshire Victim Support on 01905 726885.
