Support and Report for students

Hate incidents

What is a hate crime?

Hate crime is against the law. A hate crime is any crime perceived to have been motivated by hostility or prejudice.

A hate incident is any incident perceived to have been motivated by hostility or prejudice, which does not meet the criminal threshold. 

A hate crime can be committed against a person or their property based on:

  • Disability
  • Race or ethnicity
  • Religion or belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity
  • or any part of someone’s personal identity

Hate crimes can include things like:

  • Being called names or other forms of verbal abuse
  • Being sent offensive letters, emails or text messages
  • Being attacked or threatened with violence
  • Having your property interfered with or damaged

If any of these things are happening to you, you should report to the police and you can also report to the University.

The police and the University take all reports seriously. We have a zero tolerance approach to hate crime and work together on this.

If you are not sure if you have experienced a crime or not, we would still encourage you to report it to the police or the University. 

How do I report a hate crime?

Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger, people are injured, an offender is nearby, or you need immediate support. There is more information on the Devon and Cornwall Police website on when to call 999. There is also information on how to make a silent 999 call if needed. 

You can report hate crime to the police online, by calling the police emergency number 101, or visiting your local police station.

If you do not want to report directly to the police, you can report through the True Vision Report It tool or Stop Hate UK. By reporting through a third party you can remain anonymous if you wish to, but please read the guidance on the provider website about how to do this.

The University cannot report a hate crime to the police on your behalf but we can support you to make a report to the police. You can ask for this support when you report an incident informally or formally.

Additional resources and information

On Your Side is a UK-wide support and reporting service for anyone in the UK who identifies as East and Southeast Asian who has experienced racism or any forms of hate. They provide information in a number of different languages: