Hate crime and harassment

· You can call the Hate crime phone number:023 8083 4114

You can complete the online reporting form - there is a link at the top of this page - or download a reporting form - at the bottom of this page.

You can Email: hate.crime@southampton.gov.uk

You can send details in the post to:

Community Safety Team
Southampton City Council
One Guildhall Square
Southampton
SO14 7FP

You can report an incident to any council office or centre - for example any library, sure start or local housing office.

Age hate crime and harassment is any incident which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated on the grounds of their age.

Disability hate crime is when someone is being abused or harassed because they are disabled.

For the purposes of the Hate Crime and Harassment Strategy, the term 'disability' include learning disabilities, mental health, physical and/or mental disability, HIV status, frailty or impairment.

Gender Hate Crime is defined as being a crime which has been motivated only by the victim's gender, or perceived gender. The victim is abused primarily because of their gender and not because of a prior relationship - as is the case in Domestic Violence.

Southampton City Council has adopted the following definition:

'Homophobia and transphobia is fear or hatred for anyone who is, or appears to be, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. A homophobic or transphobic incident is any incident that is perceived to be homophobic or transphobic by the victim or any other person.'

For the purposes of the Hate Crime and Harassment Strategy:

- the term 'homophobia' is a fear or hatred of lesbian, gay or bisexual people

- the term 'transphobia' is fear or hatred of people who have undergone, or are undergoing, gender reassignment, or who dress in a manner associated with a gender other than that of their birth

The Southampton LGB&T Equality Group

The Communities Team is an active member of The Southampton LGB&T Equality Group (formerly called Hidden Targets), a multi agency group who oversee the development and delivery of LGB&T harassment responses in the city. Other members include Hampshire Constabulary, Victim Support, the University of Southampton and the Crown Prosecution Service.

We know a lot of people with Learning Disabilities are the victims of Hate Crime and we want to change this.

A hate crime is when a person, or group of people, bullies or hurts someone because they don't like who they are.

The attacker could be any age or anyone - a stranger, a parent, a carer, a friend or a neighbour.

You can find out more in our hate crime leaflet. There is a link for this at the bottom of this page.

Southampton City Council has formally adopted the definition agreed in the report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence:

"A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person."

For the purposes of the Hate Crime and Harassment Strategy:

- the term 'race' includes race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and language

- the term 'religion' includes creed, faith and any similar belief system

Multi Agency Group On Racial Harassment (MAGRH)

The Communities Team is an active member of MAGRH, who collectively oversee the development and delivery of racial harassment responses in the city. Other members include Hampshire Constabulary, Victim Support, local Housing Associations, the University of Southampton, Southampton Solent University and the Crown Prosecution Service.