9th October 2015

Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire to announce the launch of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Hate Crime Action Groupat the All Inclusive Empowerment Fayre

At the All Inclusive Empowerment Fayre in Portsmouth on Wednesday 14th October, Simon Hayes, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, will announce that his office would be overseeing the newly formed Hampshire and Isle of Wight Hate Crime Action Group.

The Police and Crime Commissioner regards Hate Crime as an important issue which requires a multi agency focus, to increase awareness within communities and encourage increased levels of reporting by victims to the police.

Speaking about his ambition for the Group, Simon Hayes comments: “As part of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Hate Crime Action Group, I intend to work in partnership to send out a strong message that committing a crime against someone because of their disability, gender-identity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation is a disgraceful act and a crime that is unacceptable here in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. “

“We know Hate Crime is under reported and I want to encourage victims to come forward and report their experience to the police. We know Hate Crime is prevalent in society and I want victims to have the confidence to come forward and tell us what has happened to them and to feel confident that something will be done about it”

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Hate Crime Action Group is a multi-sector tactical group that exists to challenge prejudice so that all individuals can go about their daily lives safely and with confidence and enhance individual’s feelings of safety. It has evolved from nine recommendations made by participants at the SPECTRUM Centre for Independent Living (CIL) workshop held in October 2014, which was attended by members of the LGBT and Transgender, Gypsy and Traveller communities, Black and Minority Ethnic groups and Disability groups, as well as agencies responsible for addressing hate crime, such as Hampshire Constabulary, Victim Support, Crown Prosecution Service, local Community Safety Partners and local authorities. The event was supported by Hampshire County Council.

The Group has two main aims: to raise awareness among its member organisations and better understand the nature of hate incidents occurring across Hampshire and IOW, ensuring an appropriate response to individuals and the wider community, and, through use of best practice initiatives, engagement and involvement, to educate and increase confidence of communities to understand hate crime, how to report it and the support they will receive.

The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and the Crown Prosecution Service have agreed a common definition of hate crime as:

Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.

A hate crime prosecution is defined as:

Any hate crime which has progressed to a charge decision or later notification, where a prosecutor has assessed that there is evidence provided that could be put to a court when an offender is being sentenced.

Whilst this formal definition will form the essence of the group, other sub-cultures will also be considered as and when they arise. Acts of hate crime can include threatening behaviour, assault, robbery, damage to property, inciting others to commit hate crimes and harassment.

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For more information contact 01962 871 595 or

Notes to editors:

The All Inclusive Empowerment Fayre is aimed at giving disabled people and their carers an opportunity to interact with service, leisure and educations providers in their local area.

Member organisations of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Hate Crime Action Group are:

  • Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Hampshire Constabulary
  • Wessex Crown Prosecution Service
  • Community Safety Partnership Practitioners Forum – through chair (Melvin Hartley) of 14 CSP forums
  • Equality and Diversity officers from local authorities
  • Hampshire Fire and Rescue
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Southern Health
  • Hampshire Independent Equality Forum
  • South Central Ambulance Service
  • Victim Support
  • Academia – National and Local through PortsmouthUniversity
  • Citizen’s Advice Bureau
  • Spectrum Centre for Independent Living.
  • Safeguarding Adults Boards