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National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2014

Published: 13/10/2014

See It, Hear It, Report It is the message from this years National Hate Crime Awareness Week which takes place between 11 and 18 October. As part of a Welsh Government national campaign, Flintshire County Council, Flintshire Community Safety Partnership and its partners across North Wales, have come together to highlight the issues of hate crime and to promote reporting such crimes. The message will be advertised on buses, local community radio stations, social media and during local events. Throughout the week partners across North Wales will be working with local groups and community organisations to raise awareness and encourage reporting of hate crime. They will also be promoting support services and resources that are available locally. Hate crime is a crime against an individual or group of people based on their identity or their perceived difference. It could be an act of violence, hostility or discrimination. Victims may have been bullied, harassed or abused because of who they, their sexuality, gender, religion, ethnicity or lifestyle choice. In 2013 there were 397 reports of hate crime across North Wales. The crime may be verbal abuse, offensive graffiti, threats, damage to property, assault, cyber bullying, abusive texts, emails or phone calls. All are unacceptable and should not be tolerated. A short film ‘Young Gypsies and Travellers Talk about Hate Crime’ was made by Travelling Ahead Save the Children Project. Young people from Flintshire contributed to the film supported by Flintshire Traveller Education Service and by Flintshire Youth Services as ITD - the Inspirational Traveller Dimensions Girls group. They want to use the film to begin to change attitudes and look at what can be done locally to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers are treated fairly and with the same rights and respect that all members of the community can expect. The film has already been shown at the National Assembly of Wales, in the All Party Parliamentary Group in Westminster and has been shared by individuals and by equalities networks across the UK and Europe - feedback has been received from people from all over the world. The Chair of the National Association of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Police Officers has asked to use it in formal police training. The Inspirational Traveller Dimensions Girls said: We wanted to let people know how we feel when they say racist things and dont treat us the same way as other people and the film gave us the chance to say it in our own voices through our own words. We wanted to show everyone from the other children we go to school with, the people that live in our communities, the police, our teachers, everyone right up to the government how much hate crime hurts, how we feel about it and where it takes place. We want to help find out why it happens and make it stop and we can only do that by people understanding that hate crime really happens. Cllr Billy Mullin, Cabinet Member for Corporate Management said: “I am very pleased that Welsh Government has raised the profile of this very important issue. I am confident that through partnership working we can make a real difference. The key message has to be, dont suffer in silence. If you see it or hear it then report it - there are people who can help. The film by the Travelling Ahead Project highlights the impact of hate crime on victims, and I am delighted that the ITD group have had the opportunity to tell their story. Hate Crime should be reported by calling North Wales Police on 101 (999 in the case of an emergency) or Victim Support’s free 24 hour helpline on 0300 30 31 982 or online www.reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk