National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2022

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is a national week of action to encourage local authorities, government, communities and other key partners to work together to tackle local hate crime (NationalHCAW).

The theme this year is race and unfortunately, 70% of all hate crimes recorded by the Met in the year ending March 2022 were race-related (109,843). It is worrying that there is still so much hatred despite the enormous progress that has been made in recent years to tackle hate crime. Discrimination, hate and prejudice should not have a place in society and though there is no way to permanently eradicate hate, there are many ways to prevent hate crime. An example of this is raising awareness of hate crime and the lasting impact it has on its victims, reporting repeat offenders to authorities and encouraging people to speak up. We as individuals can only be accountable for our behaviour, therefore, it is important that we work to tackle our own stereotypes, prejudice and bias (even if unconscious).

“You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew”. (Disney – Pocahontas)

As individuals, it is important to highlight what we have in common rather than our differences and working together as a community is more powerful than individually. As Jo Cox said, “We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us”.  As a community we should continue to encourage H.O.P.E:

• Hate crime awareness
• Operational responses to hate crime
• Preventing hate crime
• Empowering communities

ATM National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2022 consisted of working with local organisations, London authorities and schools to deliver workshops, seminars and other initiatives that brought together communities that represent victims of hate crime. We had many insightful conversations about ways in which organisations can come together to build resilient communities that can support victims of hate crime together. Though one week is not enough, we hope that National Hate Crime Awareness Week continues to inspire people to act forever. At ATM we have a dedicated service to support victims of hate crime. If you or someone you know have been a victim of hate crime, please call 07852 176798 or email hatecrime@theatm.org. To read more about our hate crime services click here.