Shock report shows 40 PER CENT rise in race and religious hate crimes
RACE and religious hate crimes have increased by more than 40 per cent, the Government announced today.
Race and religious hate crimes have increased by more than 40 per cent, say government report
Police recorded increases in crimes in the five strands of hate crime.
The highest were race hate offences at 49,419 with sexual orientation hate crimes in second place at 7,194.
A total of 4,400 religious hate crimes were recorded along with 3,629 disability hate crimes and 858 transgender hate crimes.
The number of racially and religiously aggravated alleged offences logged by forces in England and Wales in July was 41 per cent higher than in the same month last year.
Hatred has no place in a Britain
The main focus of the Home Office study was the 12 months from April 2015 to March 2016.
But it also included a section examining the weeks around the EU referendum.
It confirmed there was a “sharp increase” in the number of racially or religiously aggravated offences recorded by police forces following the poll.
Home Office report says 170 hat crime offences are being committed a day
'Our hate crime laws are among the best in the world', says Home Secretary Amber Rudd
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Hatred has no place in a Britain that works for everyone and we are determined to stamp it out. I am pleased to see Government action is working and that more victims are finding the confidence to come forward to report these crimes.
“Our hate crime laws are among the best in the world, but we cannot be complacent.”
She said a hate crime action plan published in July “sets out how we are further reducing hate crime, increasing reporting and improving support for victims.”
Amber Rudd: 'Partnership' needed to tackle hate crime
Police believe many hate crimes are still not reported to them
Mark Hamilton, National Police Chiefs Council lead on hate crime, said: “Nobody in this country should have to live their lives enduring fear, intimidation or, violence because of who they are.
“While the Home Office figures released today show an increase in reported hate crime for 2015/16, we are encouraged by the analysis that a large part of this increase is driven by better police reporting and support systems giving victims the confidence to speak up and get help.”
Mr Hamilton added that numbers of hate crime incidents have fallen from the spike seen after the referendum but police believe many hate crimes are still not reported to them.