Salford is taking a stand against Hate Crime this week, with over 60 events taking place across the city in support of Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The sixth annual week, which runs from Monday 5th February to Sunday 11th February, aims to educate young people on the prejudices that can lead to Hate Crimes as well as providing centres where people can report hate crimes.

Throughout the week, all the Citizens Advice centres in Salford, as well as places of worship and community-based organisations, are becoming hate crime reporting centres- aiming to encourage people to report hate crime incidents, without having to directly go to the police.

Find your local Hate Crime Reporting Centre here:

At these centres, people can discuss their experience with a specially-trained member of staff who will fill out a Hate Crime incident reporting form.

Tom Togher, of Salford Citizens Advice Service, who have been working with Hate Crime victims for 15 years, plays an active role in this week’s activities, which sees many community-based organisations turn into reporting centres.

He stated that Hate Crime reporting facilities are extremely useful, as some people can find it daunting approaching the police directly, and often feel that they will not be taken seriously enough.

He continued: “One of the key difficulties people face is having somebody support them in making a report of a hate crime- they don’t feel like they will be listened to.
“Hate crime reporting centres across the city and across Greater Manchester are there to help give people the confidence and ease the way to making a report of a hate crime.”

Togher also said that although Greater Manchester police are “trying their hardest to reassure people”,  people sometimes don’t have the confidence to come forward- and are not always comfortable in doing so.

Speaking about Hate Crime awareness week, Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Lloyd, described it as “a powerful show of what can be achieved when we all stand together against hatred and prejudice, bringing communities together to celebrate our diversity and encourage tolerance and respect.”

He continued:

“Hate crime destroys lives and divides communities. It has no place in Greater Manchester – a proud, diverse region that welcomes people who stand for hope, not for hate, no matter who they are, where they’re from, who they love or what they believe.”

However, alarmingly, Hate Crime rates in Salford were up by 57% throughout 2017, with 422 recorded cases during 2017, compared with 269 during 2016.

 

In light of this, the awareness week is deemed more important than ever- with encouraging victims to come forward, as well as educating people on what Hate Crime is, being the priority.

As well and the reporting centres, various other events are taking place in Salford.

Greater Manchester Police, Salford City Council and the University of Salford are holding a free, public event called The Consequences of Hatred Left Unchallenged on Friday 9 February 2018, running from 10-11.30am.

The lecture will take place in the New Adelphi Studio Theatre, and will feature guest speaker Rešad Trbonja, from the charity Remembering Srebrenica.

To register for free admission to the event, click here.

For more information on events near you, and how to get involved, click here

Other ways to report a hate crime in Manchester:

Call Greater Manchester Police on 999 for emergency help (or 101 for non-emergency help)

Call the Manchester City Council’s Hate Crime Report Line on 08000 830 007

Report it to True Vision anonymously

To find out more about what Hate Crime is, click here

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