Local MP joins equality talks
Paterson discusses hate crimes
Stirling MP Steven Paterson met with representatives from the Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) to discuss challenges facing minority groups in the area.
CSREC work to promote equality and tackle hate crime and discrimination in the Stirling and Clackmannanshire area.
And the group’s equality engagement officer Daniel Jones earlier this month met with Mr Paterson to chat about a number of issues including recent hate crime figures and a new Scottish Government campaign.
After the meeting, Mr Paterson said: “There was a great opportunity to discuss the important work CSREC does in tackling discrimination, including hate crime.
“Across the Stirling area there were forty-eight cases of reported hate crime over just a five month period, from April to August, twenty of which were racially motivated. However, my office has been made aware of a number of occasions where victims of hate crime have refused to report such incidents.”
Referring to a new campaign set to be launched by the Scottish Government in the new year, he added:
“This will aim to raise awareness of the effects of hate crime and improve public education in this area.”
Equality engagement officer Mr Jones said: “I had a constructive meeting with Steven Paterson which gave me the chance to get an idea of the types of issues constituents of his have been facing in terms of discrimination and hate crime.
“Hate crime continues to be under reported and I was delighted to see a strong will from Mr Paterson towards tackling this issue.”