Basingstoke Hate Crime Awareness Group (BHCAG)

Hate Crime is ”Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.’

A hate incident is ‘any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender’.

Hate Crime can be:

• Physical violence and assault
• Verbal abuse, threats or name-calling
• obscene calls or texts
• offensive mail, emails or photos
• graffiti
• damage to property, dumping of rubbish or offensive, unpleasant or dangerous items posted through the letter box
• incitement to hatred

Click here for more details

It is generally recognised that Hate Crime is under-reported. Here are some key reasons on why you should:

• Hate crime is rarely a one-off incident
• Hate crime can have a devastating psychological effect on you
• Victims of hate crime have a feeling of insecurity which can result in anxiety and impact their daily lives
• If victims report it a better picture of Hate Crime will be visible and more can be done to address it
• Don’t let the person/people get away with doing this to you or others

If you’re in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and want to report a Hate Crime you can use the ‘Love Don’t Hate’ App.

This will quickly connect you to your nearest Third Party Reporting Centre, where you can find their location and contact details.

The App can be found by typing in ‘Hate Crime Love Don’t Hate’ into the App Store on Apple devices or Google Play on Android devices.

BHCAG were absolutely delighted and wow’ed by the winning entries of this years competition.

This years theme was Respectful and Welcoming.  

Congratulations to both winners.

‘Love Not Hate’ Winning Entry

‘Love Not Hate’ Video Entry Link: https://youtu.be/Gl41cLTtGis

‘Love Not Hate’ Video Transcript: Video Transcript

‘Everybody Is Welcome’ Winning Entry

by

Aoife (Age 11)

Here on this Earth, everybody is welcome.

If you are Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist or Christian,

Bi, straight, gay or lesbian,

It doesn’t matter who you are,

Because on this Earth, everybody is welcome.

Here on this Earth, everybody should be respected.

Whether your pronouns are he, she, they or them.

Everybody shall be respected and not condemned.

It doesn’t matter who you are,

Because on this Earth, everybody is welcome.

Here on this Earth, nobody is the same,

And that is something we all should proclaim.

We are not the same, we are all different

That is what makes us all so magnificent.

It doesn’t matter who you are,

Because on this Earth, everybody is welcome.

So, in conclusion, we all are unique

Our faces, our hair and our wonderful physiques

In order for us and our planet to grow,

Respect and love, we all must show.

Because on this Earth, everybody is welcome.

BHCAG are an alliance of local voluntary and statutory organisations in the borough of Basingstoke and Deane: