Reaching out to victims of Hate Crime in the borough

Hate crime is an issue which continues to touch the lives of residents of the Hounslow Borough. Hate Crime, is any offence or incident that is motivated by hostility or prejudice based upon the victims age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender.  Hate Crime can take many forms including physical attack, verbal abuse, threats and intimidation, graffiti, criminal damage and bullying amongst other forms which often leaves its victims feeling vulnerable and in fear of further attack. Hate Crime is an attack upon an individual’s identity and can shatter the lives of both people and communities.

Hounslow Race and Equalities Council (HREC) is working hard to support victims of all strands of hate crime and to ensure that HREC is publicised as a free, confidential and accessible service across the borough. Anna de Souza, the Hate Crime Co-ordinator offers support to victims of hate crime and helps co-ordinate the multi-agency response to hate crime. Anna offers support and advocacy to victims across the borough from and encourages them to report incidents to the police whilst offering holistic support.

HREC engages with victims of hate crime and provides support and assistance to victims whether incidents have been reported or unreported to the police. The Race and Hate Crime project has opened more than 100 new case files over the last year and offered advice to more than 500 individuals. HREC has noticed a rise in victims reporting race and hate crime, particularly disability, faith and homophobic hate crime. Anna works independently of the police however is based at Hounslow Police Community Safety Unit (CSU) on a sporadic basis where she has access to all hate crime incidents which are reported to the police. Anna can keep victims updated on the progress with their case and liaises with multi-agency partners who investigate race and hate crime in the Hounslow borough.  The Race and Hate Crime Project also assists Hounslow Council and the Police when taking action against suspects of hate crime and carries out joint preventative work in known hot spot areas. We have assisted the police and local council by taking additional civil action against known perpetrators of hate crime, in one religiously aggravated harassment case, HREC supported the victims and the suspect went to prison for three years.  Anna explains that “due to the changing nature of hate crime, we have to remain pro-active in our response to dealing with hate crime and offering support to victims. This year I will promote HREC more widely across the borough, to look at new ways to support victims and to ensure that we promote Hounslow as a borough which operates a zero tolerance to hate crime.”

Anna works closely with Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT’s) who carry out reassurance visits and patrols and other multi-agencies including Hounslow Council, a wide range of Housing Associations, schools, NHS, places of worship and other voluntary organisations including the Disability Network, OutWest and Age UK.

Anna is also holding a Service Users Forum on the 9^th November 2010 at HREC offices which will give victims of hate crime the opportunity to share their experiences of hate crime and gives them a platform to develop new, positive and engaging ways to tackle hate crime. The Service Users Forum will also help HREC improve its service and will help inform multi-agencies who are working to tackle hate crime.

If you would like to take part in this forum, require support or advice or to report an incident please contact HREC on 020 8572 5532 or info@hounslowrec.co.uk. HREC is easily accessible and is based in the Treaty Centre in Hounslow. Please always dial 999 when in fear of your safety.

Thursday 11th November 2010, 6-8pm