A group of community organisations have banded together to signpost the support available for victims of hate crime.
Representatives from Tell MAMA, Remedi, Stop Hate UK and Derbyshire Victim Services were among those speaking to commuters passing through the bus station on 29th November.
“A significant proportion of hate crime happens on public transport, and this is one of the places where people are most likely to notice us,” said Mahroof Hussain from Tell MAMA, a national project aimed at measuring anti-Muslim attacks across the UK.
“We’re encouraging people to report incidents of hate crime, because if they don’t, people will think nothing’s happening,” he said, urging victims to make anonymous reports rather than staying silent.
“We’ve got information-sharing agreements with police forces across the UK, so they can tell us information, and we can give them information that can be used to help victims.”
Gary Robinson, Cohesion and Integration Officer at Derby City Council, also iterated the importance of reporting incidents, be it to the police or independent organisations like Tell MAMA and Stop Hate UK.
“Everyone has the right to live without fear and harassment, so it’s really important that hate crime incidents are reported,” he said. “You can make a report in several ways, whether you’ve been a victim yourself or if you see something happening and report it for somebody else.”
Natasha May from Remedi used the pop-up stall to shine a light on the idea of ‘restorative justice’ – an approach that gives the opportunity both for victims to voice how they have been impacted by a crime, and to look at ways in which the perpetrators might be able to make amends.
“People often feel like they need answers, or might want to let people know how it’s affected them and the ripple effect it’s had on their family,” she said.
“It doesn’t have to be an actual crime that’s been to court – we can still help to facilitate mediation, answer those questions and let people know how it affects people.”
Derbyshire Victim Services also offers a range of support for victims of hate crime, said the organisation’s representative Evelyn Williams. “That includes emotional support, such as someone to talk to about how they’re feeling, and practical support such as signposting to other agencies like Tell MAMA if it’s a religious hate crime,” she explained.
For Evelyn, collaborations such as these are key to overcoming hate crime within Derbyshire. “For there to be an effective response, there needs to be a multi-agency effort to fulfil all the needs of that victim.”
By Jamie Morris
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