Hate incident reporting centres launched in Brighton

A scheme to create safe spaces for reporting hate incidents in Brighton and Hove has been launched.

Victims of hate incidents can now report them safely and in confidence to any of three new reporting centres in the city.

Representatives from Possability People, The Racial Harassment Forum and The Rainbow Hub spoke about working together as third party reporting centres to improve the reporting of hate incidents.

They aim to create another option for victims in marginalised communities who may not want to report an incident to the police directly due to lack of confidence, trust or previous bad experiences.

Vicky Passow, advisor and project coordinator at Possability People said: “I wish there had been a hate incident reporting centre when I was harassed on the street.

“The incident left me feeling vulnerable and scared and I didn’t feel like anyone would take notice or care. I didn’t want to waste police time or re-live it.

“Knowing there is a safe space within an organisation which represents me feels like a huge step forward in providing people with somewhere to find support.”

Asmat Roe, trustee at the Racial Harassment Forum (RHF) said: “At RHF we have been asking for such a service since the 1980s.

“The subtleties of a hate incident are only picked up by the person discriminated against.

“That’s why at RHF we believe that lived experience is the best teacher and guide toward positive change.”

In the year ending March 2021, 124,091 hate crimes were recorded by the police in England and Wales.

A hate incident is one which is motivated by prejudice because of someone’s disability, race, religion, sexuality or transgender identity.

Not all hate incidents will amount to criminal offences, but campaigners insist it is equally important that these are reported and recorded by the police.

Geraldine Des Moulins, chief executive of Possability People said: “It’s a horrible fact that people face daily abuse because they are thought of as being different.

“This is certainly true for disabled people. Whether it’s verbal harassment in the street, ongoing bullying or a physical act, these are all hate incidents and we know from our service users they can have a devastating impact.

“As an independent and impartial reporting centre, together with The Racial Harassment Forum and The Rainbow Hub, we are here to support anyone who has had to deal with a hate incident.

“If that’s you, please get in touch; you will be listened to and taken seriously.”

Councillor Steph Powell, co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee, said: “It’s great to see the Hate Crime Third Party Reporting Centres up and running in the city offering another support option for anyone affected by hate incidents.

“We know that not everyone wants to report to statutory bodies such as the council or the police, so it’s important for us to work with trusted community partners to make sure everyone has the option of reporting hate crime where they feel comfortable.

“Everyone has a right to feel safe. Brighton and Hove is a diverse city, and we’re proud of our commitment to equality and inclusion for all people.

“We do not accept any form of hate in our city.”

The third party reporting centre (TPRC) scheme has been established by the three community groups after a survey was conducted by RHF in 2018 asking members what support they needed.

You can contact each community organisation to report an incident in whatever way you feel safe:
Possability People: 01273 894040
Racial Harassment Forum: 01273 234017
The Rainbow Hub: 07714 782585