You may have heard of the terms mate crime and
hate crime
A hate
crime
A crime is when someone does something wrong and breaks the
law
Laws are the rules that everyone in the country has to follow. If you don't follow the rules you can get in trouble with the police.
.
is when someone is hurt or bullied because of things like: their disability or their
religion
Religion is to do with the things you believe about the world. For example you may believe there is a god or something else. Examples of religions are Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
.
.
Maybe you've experienced it but didn't know it was a form of bullying that can be reported to the police.
Here you'll find out what hate crime and mate crime means and what you can do about it.
What is mate crime?
Mate crime is when someone says they are your friend, but they do things that take advantage of you, like ask you for money a lot.
A real friend does not need to be bought, and someone who takes your money, asks you to pay for lots of things, or makes you feel uncomfortable is not a true friend.
If someone who says they are your friend hurts you, steals from you or makes you do something you don’t want to do, you should tell to someone you trust right away.
What is hate crime?
Hate crime is when someone does something to hurt someone because of who they are - such as because of their race,
sexuality
Sexuality is how you feel about yourself and your body. It is about finding out and knowing what feels right for you.
or disability.
If someone is mean to you because of your
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
, tell someone you trust and report it to the police. See below for advice on how to report a crime to the police.
If you have concerns for someone's wellbeing or safety call Mencap's helpline on 0808 808 1111.
Statistics about hate crime
Read the following useful stats relating to hate crime:
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Between 2011 and 2013, there were 124,000 disability hate crimes (Crime Survey for England and Wales)
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Only 3% of these were recorded by the police, and only 1% resulted in prosecutions
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56% of disabled people say that they have experienced hostility, aggression or violence from a stranger because of their condition or impairment (ComRes, 2011)
Reporting a crime
If you have experienced a hate crime or mate crime, you probably feel very upset, confused and scared.
Tell someone that you feel comfortable talking to and they will support you to report it to the police. It might sound scary reporting it to the police, but by doing this, you might help stop these incidents from happening to someone else. Reporting to the police also helps them to know the scale of hate and mate crime in your area, and deal with it better.
How to report a crime
You can report a crime by:
- phoning your local police
- reporting it online
- downloading and completing an easy read reporting form
- contacting Citizens Advice Bureau or Stop Hate UK, who can report it for you
- call NSPCC or Childline who can help you report it to the police
- tell your parent, carer or
support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
- they will support you to report it.
Six tips for talking to the police
- Ask someone you know and trust to be with you when you speak to the police - like a parent, partner, friend, carer or support worker.
- Tell the police officer that you have a learning disability and ask them to use simple language that you can understand.
- Ask if there is any
easy read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
information available to you. - If they use a word you don’t understand, ask them to explain the word.
- Make sure that your report is taken seriously and treated as a hate crime.
- If the police don’t take it seriously, ask an
advocate
An advocate is a person who can help you have your say. An advocate can speak up for you if you find it hard.
or mediator to step in to ensure it’s reported as a hate crime.
Four things you should know about hate crime
Campaigns
manager
A manager is a boss at work. They tell you what you need to do and give you support if you need it.
Jo Davies sheds some light on the problem of hate crime – some of the facts may surprise you.
Kelly and Sue's story
Kelly is harassed daily. Police tell her to "just ignore it". Would you?