Reporting Hate Crime
Gedling Homes believes that people from all backgrounds should be able to live together within a safe and comfortable neighbourhood, and that those who commit hate incidents should have their prejudices and opinions tackled. A hate crime is a crime or harassment motivated by hatred, bias, or prejudice, based upon the actual or perceived race, colour, religion, nationality or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, gender, disability, appearance, class or age of an individual or group.
What sorts of incidents constitute hate crime?
The list below provides some examples of what may constitute hate crime, but it is not exhaustive and there may be other examples of hate crime that are not listed here.
- assault, ranging from pushing, through to physical attacks, grievous bodily harm to murder
- intimidation or threats to harm or kill
- use of weapons/firearms
- verbal abuse ranging from jokes to offensive remarks and comments about the person and their identity
- abusive or insulting graffiti in any form
- damage to property or personal belongings
- objects being thrown at people or their property
- offensive mail and literature
v incitement, i.e. encouraging others through leaflets or posters
- nuisance or disturbance including obscene telephone calls or the dumping of rubbish at a person’s property
- arson or attempted arson
Reporting hate incidents
A hate incident can be reported by anyone. Gedling Homes classifies hate incidents as being the most serious type of Anti-Social Behaviour. Upon notification of a hate incident, we will contact the victim within one working day and offer to interview the person within two working days in order to get full details to enable us to progress the case.
Investigation of the hate Incident
In order to complete a prompt and thorough investigation, all victims and witnesses will need to be interviewed. Persons experiencing the harassment will be treated with dignity and respect and assured that we will take their complaint seriously and act accordingly.
Please ring us on 0115 905 1515 and ask for Gedling Homes Neighbourhoods Team if you have been the victim of a hate incident.
Supporting the complainant
Hate incidents can be very distressing and traumatic for victims and those who witness them so we recognise the need to support you as much as we can through this process.
- We will provide advice and information about the various remedies available to all victims of hate incidents.
- We will keep you fully informed at each stage of the investigation and advise you of the actions(s) taken.
- We may refer victims and/or witnesses to specialist counselling and support agencies as appropriate.
- We will carry out any repairs needed within one working day arising from notification of a hate incident.
- We will arrange for the removal of any abusive graffiti within one working day from notification.
- We provide a free phone telephone number that you can use outside of normal office hours to leave details of any hate incidents. Please call
0808 1456 555. We will call you back the next working day.
Action against the perpetrator
Gedling Homes will
- investigate all allegations of hate incidents made by or against Gedling Homes tenants.
- enforce the Tenancy Agreement where the tenant and/or those who live with and/or those who visit the tenant had breached the Tenancy Agreement by carrying out a hate incident.
- consider taking action against perpetrators of hate incidents including injunctions, Demotion of Tenancy and possession proceedings. (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and Anti Social Behaviour Orders are currently under review by the government, with new initiatives being proposed.)
- where the perpetrators are not Gedling Homes tenants, advise and assist the victim of other appropriate remedies.
To download our Factsheet with this information please click the following link.
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