Report a Hate Crime

Have you experienced or witnessed a hate crime?

If you have been affected by a hate crime in Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly, please report it here using this form.  Having a live record of hate crimes taking place in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly helps us let decision makers know how important Pride is and the extent of the work still left to do in our attempts to make Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly a place free of hate forever. Read our article 'Understanding and Countering Hate Crimes and Incidents' for more information.

We recognise that being the victim of a hate crime is unpleasant and might be causing you to feel low or sad.  Reporting the crime is the first step in standing up to the aggressor but we can also support you in other ways such as with mental health at our Penguin Soup workshops.

Visit the support page to get more help if you need it and thank you for being brave.

Unsure what a hate crime is? 

A hate crime, as defined in English law, is any criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's actual or perceived race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or transgender identity.

Taking homophobia as a specific example, a hate crime can be an act where a person is targeted and assaulted because of their perceived sexual orientation. If, for example, a person is physically attacked because the perpetrator perceives them to be gay, that would be considered a homophobic hate crime.

Here are some other examples in relation to the other protected characteristics:

Transgender identity: Transphobic hate crimes involve acts of violence, harassment, or abuse targeted at individuals because of their actual or perceived gender identity. This could involve a person being verbally abused or physically attacked because they are transgender or non-binary.

Race: A hate crime based on race could involve verbal abuse, harassment, or physical violence against a person because of their actual or perceived racial background. For instance, an individual being attacked or insulted due to their being of Asian descent would constitute a racially-motivated hate crime.

Religion: A hate crime based on religion can take the form of vandalism against places of worship, physical assaults, or verbal abuse against individuals because of their actual or perceived religion or belief. An example could be desecration of a mosque or synagogue or attacking someone because they are perceived to be Muslim or Jewish.

Disability: Hate crimes can also be committed against persons with disabilities. This might include physical violence, verbal harassment, or other forms of abuse targeted at a person because of their actual or perceived disability. An instance might be taunting or physically harming a person because they are wheelchair-bound or have a visible physical disability.

It's important to note that these crimes are treated particularly seriously under English law due to the damaging impact they have, not just on the immediate victim, but on communities as a whole. The law is designed to protect individuals from discrimination and abuse based on these protected characteristics.