Religious or racial hate crimes at a record high
REPORTS ALMOST TRIPLED IN 2020 COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEAR
A record number of people in Leicester and the county complained of being harassed because of their race or religion last year.
In the five years from 2016 to 2020, the number of reports in Leicester almost tripled, from 39 to 100, according to research by The Hinckley Times’ parent company, Reach.
In Leicestershire, 184 crimes were reported to police last year. Many more are likely to have gone unreported.
The total was almost three times as many as the previous year or 2016 – the year of the Brexit referendum.
Of the offences recorded last year, six (3 per cent) have so far resulted in an offender being charged or summonsed in Leicestershire.
Across England and Wales, there were 4,810 crimes of racially or religiously aggravated harassment last year, up by 39 per cent on the previous year and the highest number seen in the 21st century.
Jo Parks, services director at Victim Support, said: “We’ve been concerned to see rising reports of race hate crime throughout the pandemic and have seen significant increases in the number of victims coming to us for support.
“This has been driven largely by the changes in lockdown restrictions and high-profile events such as the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent trial. These hate crimes have had a damaging impact on victims’ safety and sense of self-worth.
“We want victims of racial abuse to know we are here for them and help and support is available whenever they need it, regardless of whether they have reported the incident to the police or how long ago it took place.”
A spokesman from the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: “There could be a number of reasons behind an increase – for example, it could be a sign of improvements in recording practices.
“However, more needs to be done to improve the process and the quality of support for victims.”
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for hate crime, said “the long-term picture points to the rise being the result of more victims coming forward and improved recording.
“Police have worked hard to improve our response to hate crime.
“I encourage all victims to report to the police by calling 101 or at True Vision.”