What is hate crime? 

A hate incident is any incident perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by the prejudice of someone's:

  • Race, colour, national or ethnic origin
  • Religion or belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Disability.

Hate incidents cover a wide range of behaviours, including:

  • Verbal abuse
  • Damage to property
  • Harassment
  • Offensive behaviour
  • Offensive telephone calls, text messages, emails or letters.

How to report hate crime

We work closely with Avon and Somerset Police and local authorities to tackle incidents of hate crime. You should report the crime to Avon and Somerset Police in the first instance.

Please also let us know about the incident, so we can offer support and work alongside the police and our local partners. 

To report hate crime to Avon and Somerset Police, you can:

To report hate crime to us, you can: 

  • Call us on 03000 120 120 (option 4 - community safety)
  • email communitysafety@alliancehomes.org.uk 
  • Send us a message through Live Chat on our website, or through Connect, our online customer portal. 
  • Write or visit us at 40 Martingale Way, Portishead, BS20 7AW

When reporting hate crime or incident, it's helpful if you're able to provide the following:

  • time, date and location of the incident
  • identity or description of the perpetrator 
  • name of any witness.

How we respond to hate crime 

We take hate crime very seriously. When you report it to us, we will respond within 24 hours. We’ll arrange to meet you at your home or at another place where you feel safe.

We will listen to you and work with you to create an action plan. This plan will explain the steps we will take, what our partner agencies will do, and how and when we will keep in contact with you.

We will also support you by speaking with our partner agencies on your behalf when needed.

Responding to hate crime committed by our customers

Our Community Safety Team reviews every report of hate crime. If a report is serious or poses a risk to your safety or to the wider community, we will take action. This can include (but is not limited to):

  • Applying for an Injunction Order – a court order that requires someone to stop a certain behaviour or action
  • Seeking a Possession Order – a legal process that can lead to someone being evicted from their home.

Support 

We recognise the impact experiencing or witnessing a hate crime can have and we work with a range of partners to support people affected. If you would like support we can refer you to:

Stand Against Racism and Inequality (SARI)

SARI provides free and confidential support to anyone who is targeted by hate for their race, faith, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity, age, gender, or sex.

Stop Hate UK

Stop Hate UK is a free, 24-hour anti-hate crime helpline service that supports victims of hate incidents targeting a person's identity or perceived identity.

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