This week, events are taking place throughout South London as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

A recent report issued by the Home Office identified an increase of 17% in reports of hate crime incidents in England and Wales. Muslim adults were most at risk, and approximately 30,000 sexual orientation hate crimes were committed per year. As personal theft incidents were far less likely to be reported than violent issues, many are working to improve understanding of the different forms of hate crime.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week takes place from the 13th to the 20th October this year. The events held help to aid those affected by hate crime, but are also an act of remembrance for previous victims, and volunteers work towards better support for families and communities affected by crimes. You can learn more about events in your local area here: https://172430notohatecrime.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/nationalhcaw-google-map-2018/.

Hate Crimes can range from name calling to physical attacks and violence, and can be motivated by race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Merton Council stresses the importance of reporting hate crime to the police in preventing further crimes.

The Hate Crime Safer Merton Strategic Work Plan of 2017-2021 has been put into place to tackle hate crime. It aims to improve the current situation through education, reducing repeat victimisation, providing the necessary support for victims and prosecuting attackers to a greater extent.

Merton Councillor Edith Macauley MBE gave the message “Hate crime has no place in our communities or in our society. The publication of this strategy, and the work behind it, comes at a time where many people are uncertain about their place in society after the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. Ethnic and faith communities have reported anxiety about a climate of hostility targeted at those who are identified as ‘foreigners’.”

To report an incident to the police: In an emergency call 999.

For a non emergency call 101.

Report online at https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/how-to-report-a-crime/