Hate crime

The council believes that everyone who lives in or works in or visits West Lindsey has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to live without fear of discrimination.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate incident, please report it here.

The council is a designated reporting centre for hate incident, and we need to know the number, type and range of incidents taking place in the district so that we can direct our resources to deal with them.

So what is hate incident? A hate incident is any criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated by an offender’s hatred of someone because of their:

  • Race, colour, ethnic origin, or nationality
  • Religion
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Sexual orientation or
  • Disability

Our definition of a hate incident: Any hate incident, which constitutes a criminal offence, perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

Examples of hate incidents include:

  • Verbal abuse; threatening behaviour; name calling; offensive mail
  • Offensive phone calls; offensive text messages; physical assault
  • Robbery; harassment; intimidation; vandalism; rape
  • Domestic abuse; arson; theft; graffiti; damage; or sexual assault

Many incidents can be obvious, but others may be more hidden, such as overhearing a remark. It does not matter how obvious or how hidden an incident may be. If you feel that you have been the victim of a hate incident, and then please report it to us.

Reporting a hate crime: It is important that all hate crimes and incidents are reported, whether you are a victim or a witness. You can report hate crime the following ways:

  • In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for the police
  • In a non emergency, you can always contact the police on 101 or 01522 532222
  • You can make a report online

Alternatively you can pick up a self-reporting pack or submit a report at any police station, library, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, or District Council offices.

What Happens Now: Once we receive your report, we will record the details and pass them onto the police. We will not give details about you to anyone without asking you first, your report will be treated in confidence with dignity and respect.

Further Help: Coping with the feelings produced by hate crime can be difficult, the police can take action against the offenders, and a solicitor can help you take civil action, such as seeking a court injunction to stop people harassing you.

The following organisations provide support to people who have experienced hate crime:

Hate crime statements in other languages