www.stopthehate.org.uk
Hate crime and
mental health
DC Phil Merriam
Essex Police
What is hate crime?
Hate Crime
Any incident, whether a crime
or not, which is perceived by
anyone to be motivated by
hostility or prejudice based on a
personal characteristic.
Personal Characteristics
(Strands)
Race, Ethnicity, Country of Origin
Religion, Belief or no Belief
Sexual Orientation
Disability
Gender Identity
Other
Disability includes
Mental health
Learning disability
Physical disability
Sensory disability
Life limiting illness
Under Reporting
2011 British Crime Survey – Hate Incidents
Race
136000 identified
35875 recorded
26%
Disability
65000 identified
2095 recorded
3%
Sexual Orientation
50000 identified
4477 recorded
9%
Religion
39000 identified
1773 recorded
5%
Estimate - only 15% of Hate Incidents are
reported to / recorded by Police Services
(40 in Essex)
Barriers to Reporting
Non-recognition of Hate motivation
Cultural issues/pressure
Ashamed or Embarrassed
Sensitive and emotive subject
Believe they are to blame
Will not be believed
Not serious enough
Nothing will be done
Low chance of a positive outcome
Fear of reprisals
Not knowing how/where to report
Health issues
Accessibility difficulties
Time/inconvenience
Mistrust of Police & other Services
Negative experiences of reporting
Feeling Mistrust in authorities
Fear of court process
Normalised to abuse
Sense of ‘that’s just how it is’
Secondary Victimisation
The numbers
Hate Crime - all strands
2011
Hate Type
Disability
Crime
2012
NonCrime
Total
Crime
2013
NonCrime
Total
2011-12
% +/-
Crime
NonCrime
Total
2012-13
% +/-
27
13
40
61
25
86
115.0
62
49
111
29.1
688
145
833
868
320
1188
42.6
794
395
1198
0.8
Religion
18
3
21
15
12
27
28.6
21
17
38
40.7
Sexual Orientation
79
21
100
121
44
165
65.0
102
53
155
6.5
Transgender
24
11
35
31
15
46
31.4
28
17
45
2.2
Other/Not recorded
44
4
48
63
8
71
47.9
103
40
143
101.4
880
197
1077
1159
424
1583
47.0
1110
567
1686
6.5
Race
All Hate Crime
Types of incident
Essex Police - recorded disability hate incidents, 2013
Incidents
Non-reportable hate MH
incident
LD
Physical
Sensory
TOTAL
1st Harassment
warning (not
counted as crime)
MH
LD
Physical
Sensory
TOTAL
TOTAL Non -crime
Crimes
MH
LD
Physical
Sensory
TOTAL Crime
TOTAL All incidents
Descriptors
9
13
21
2
45
1
2
1
Bullying / Antisocial behaviour
Harassment
4
49
8
24
28
2
62
111
3x assault, 3x harassment, 2x damage
7x assault, 14x harassment
2x assault, 21x harassment
1x harassment, 1x damage
Why Is Hate Crime
Different To Other Crime?
Hate crime is about peoples personal characteristics that
they cannot change, causing greater psychological harm.
Hate crime is about hostility & prejudice against whole
groups of people, not just individuals.
Hate crime is often targeted at vulnerable members of
society, who may have no voice.
Tackling hate crime
Tackling hate crime
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•
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Hate Incident Reporting Centres (HIRCs)
Hate Crime Ambassadors
Strategic partnership (SHCPP)
Multi-agency work-plan
Stop the Hate campaign
Dc 1570 Phil Merriam, Essex Police
Hate Crime Performance & Review Officer
01245 452126
phil.merriam@essex.pnn.police.uk
@stopthehate
www.stopthehate.org.uk