Why we need you to report it
Barriers to reporting hate crime
We hear so often from people who don’t want to report hate crimes for many reasons; because they fear reprisals, or they don’t think anything will be done, sometimes they don’t think anyone will believe them, or in some cases, people have a mistrust of going directly to the police. Many people who suffer sustained hate crime over a period start to believe that this is something they must endure, that it is somehow their lot in life. This is NOT true. Everyone deserves to live their life free from hate and discrimination and to be treated equally by society. Bradford Hate Crime Alliance empathises with and understands every one of these reasons so, we will work with victims to try and overcome those fears and doubts, focusing on why not reporting cannot be an option.
Benefits to reporting hate crime
When you do nothing, the perpetrator is free to carry on unchallenged and the next victim may be a friend, family member or neighbour. By reporting, there is a chance that the perpetrator will be prosecuted, and you can prevent similar crimes being committed against others. Plus, if you don’t report then it is difficult to prove the true extent of hate crime being committed in the community. When speaking with those communities, we know the true extent is far greater than the statistics show, and we know that so many people don’t report hate crimes for the reasons already stated. By reporting, even if nothing else comes of it, that report will become data and if that data can provide a true reflection of how serious an issue hate crime really is, then we are in a better position to advocate for positive change. At the end of the day, it’s good to be a statistic!
Different ways to report
We are always on the lookout for new ways to make reporting hate crime as accessible as possible. Our extensive network of inclusive reporting centres and pathways that represent the diversity of the Bradford District, came about as a response to the 1998 MacPherson Report which investigated the handling of the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Among the many recommendations of that report were the need to provide alternatives to reporting to the police in the form of third-party reporting centres, and the ability to be able to report hate crimes 24 hours a day. Alongside our reporting centres and the websites reporting form, Bradford Hate Crime Alliance have now launched a brand-new web app entitled ‘Listen Bradford’ that you can install on your mobile phone and make reporting hate crime easier than ever before.
