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Rose Simkins Director 11 th September 2008 www.stophateuk.org. Background to Stop Hate UK. Established since 1995 A registered charity, Company Limited by Guarantee & Social Enterprise
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Background to Stop Hate UK Established since 1995 A registered charity, Company Limited by Guarantee & Social Enterprise Our Vision is: Raising awareness and understanding of Discrimination and Hate Crime, encouraging its reporting, and supporting the individuals and communities it affects
The Impact of Hate Crime • Individuals and families • Health and well being • Living in fear and prisoners in their own home • Self esteem • Homelessness • Disengagement • Loss of employment or studying opportunities Additional pressures on families include: • Child Development • Tensions within the home and impact on relationships
The Impact of Hate Crime • Neighbourhoods • Lack of stability (short term occupancy) • Properties boarded up • Insecurity and fear (fear of all types of crime increases in areas of high tension/hate crime) • Hostility, segregation and polarisation • Reputation and perception • Real danger and disorder • Creates no-go areas
The Impact of Hate Crime Communities • Lack of cohesion • Increased misperception • Increased fear • Inter racial/faith
The Impact of Hate Crime • Agencies/Services • Schools • Police and Criminal Justice System • Healthcare services • Housing and homelessness • Support agencies
Challenges for Victims • Recognising that they are victims of Hate Crime • Recognising that support is available • Knowing how to access appropriate support • Cultural and language barriers • Trust and confidence in receiving support • Getting heard – being listened to • Knowing that their wishes for confidentiality will be observed • Knowing whether the response received from agencies is appropriate and fulfilling their needs
What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims? • The Stop Hate Line - Hate incident reporting 24 hours a day, every day • Response to Stephen Lawrence Recommendation 16 • Immediate telephone support and information for victims and third-party reporters • Someone to listen to their concerns and help them find appropriate support • Provides a direct alternative to reporting to the Police • Provides an independent and confidentail service
What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims? • Face to face casework support • Emotional support • Practical Support • Target hardening • Explore options and rights • Evidence building • Partnership working • Monitor, evaluate and challenge agencies’ performance
What does Stop Hate UK do to support victims? • Youth and Community Services • Community development work • Breaking down barriers • Intensive work with young victims and perpetrators • Training and consultancy in schools • Resource design
Outcomes of Stop Hate UK’s work • Individuals supported • Activity ceased – successful mediation • ASBO, NISP, harassment warnings, ABC, etc • Increased housing priority • Rehoused • Perpetrator convicted • Disciplinary procedures in school/workplace • Wider support addresses other needs • Increased cohesion and integration, resulting in fewer serious incidents and increased opportunities for different groups and communities to mix
How should things move forward for victims? • Raise the profile of Hate Crime reporting, justice, and awareness of how serious an impact it can have • Provide easily accessible and trusted methods of reporting Hate Crime • Improve partnership working and accountability • Ensure system is transparent, and that victims are kept informed of outcomes
Other initiatives to reduce incidents of Hate Crime • More work with potential perpetrators • Increased general awareness and feeling of responsibility for the safety of our communities • Increased understanding of tensions, and capacity to respond to them
Added value of the Stop Hate Line in reducing Hate Crime • Partnership working to deal with Hate Crime • A recognisable brand that increases awareness of the concept of Hate Crime • Network across UK sharing and developing models of good practice
The Stop Hate Line: What does Stop Hate UK deliver? • Provide a 24 hour reporting service for all forms of Hate Crime • Provide promotional material templates currently in 26 community languages, Braille, large print, words into pictures, audio. • Template newsletter articles and press release • Promotes Hate Crime Reporting across the UK • Cover the helpline using trained operators • Provides immediate support and signposting to callers • Works with other agencies to find solutions • Disseminate referrals to referral point in caller’s local area • Local statistics and comparative information on performance compared to other parts of the UK
Working in Partnership • Stop Hate UK operates the line in West Yorkshire, Hull, Oldham, Wolverhampton, Merseyside, Peterborough, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, the London Borough of Havering, and Derbyshire.