'Being you is not a crime, targeting you is': Northumbria Police launch campaign against hate crime

Credit: Northumbria Police

"Being you is not a crime, targeting you is", is the message from Northumbria Police as part of their campaign for National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

  • National Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from today, February 8 to Sunday, February 14.

Northumbria Police are holding a series of events and initiatives to raise awareness around what hate crime is, the work that police and partners do to tackle it, and the support available for victims of hate crime.

  • What is a 'hate crime'?

A crime is considered to be a hate crime if someone has been targeted because of a protected characteristic, these include: race, faith, religion, disability, gender identity, age or sexual orientation.

Anyone can report a hate crime - victims, families, carers or someone unrelated to a victim who has been witness to an incident.

Northumbria Police works with groups from across the region to raise awareness in hate crime all year round.

Activity this week include:

  • Attending community meetings

  • Holding drop in sessions

  • Running education inputs at schools

  • Holding social media Q+A sessions

  • Taking part in local activities and initiatives

Northumbria Police Detective Chief Inspector Deborah Alderson, from Northumbria Police's protecting vulnerable people unit, explains: "Targeting anyone because of who they are is not acceptable - this is a hate crime.

"If you have been hurt, threatened, abused, harassed or intimidated or suffered any other crime because of your Race, Faith, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Age or Gender Identity, this is Hate Crime.

"Hate Crime is an issue that we take incredibly seriously as a force and we can not underestimate the impact it has on victims. We abosultely support National Hate Crime Week and will taking part in many activities this week with our partners and the community to help raise awareness in what is a very serious issue."

  • Hate crime can be reported to police using 101 in a non-emergency or 999 in an emergency.

  • Hate crime can also be reported through non-police agencies such as True Vision or ARCH.

Throughout the week police will be running the 'Being you is not a crime. Targeting you is' campaign encouraging people to come forward and speak to police and partners about hate crime.