Hate Crime
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and to providing an inclusive and supportive environment in which all individuals have the opportunity to contribute to their full potential. This is central to our commitment to excellence in all that we do: teaching, research and enterprise.
As well as the work that we are doing to promote an inclusive campus we are also committed to ensuring that we take a firm approach to dealing with actions that have a negative impact on the safety and wellbeing of our community.
What is hate crime?
'A hate crime is when someone commits a crime against you because of your disability, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, religion, or any other perceived difference.
It doesn't always include physical violence. Someone using offensive language towards you or harassing you because of who you are, or who they think you are, is also a crime. The same goes for someone posting abusive or offensive messages about you online.
A hate crime is defined as 'Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.'
A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone's prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender.
Not all hate incidents will amount to criminal offences, but it is equally important that these are reported.'*
* From Metropolitan police https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/hco/hate-crime/what-is-hate-crime/
Reporting Hate Crime
You can report a hate crime or incident in several ways:
Need Help now?
If you are in immediate danger, or it's an emergency you can call 999 for the emergency services.
We also have Campus Security, if you are on site:
Avery Hill: internal phone 9101 or 0208 331 9101
Greenwich: internal phone 7616 or 0208 331 7616
Medway: internal phone 3138 or 0208 331 3138
Non-emergency help
If it's not an emergency, you can report incidents and seek support in the following ways:
From outside of the University
101 -the police non-emergency number
When should I use 101?
You can call 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response. You should always call 999 when it is an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.
From Police UK https://www.police.uk/contact/101/
Victim Support
If you have been affected by crime victim support provides services that are free, confidential and available to anyone in England and Wales, regardless of whether the crime has been reported or how long ago it happened. They can be contacted in several ways including on their free support line: 08 08 16 89 111
Details on service hours, ways to contact them and what they do are available on their website.
Stop Hate UK
Stop Hate UK is a national organisation working to challenge all forms of Hate Crime and discrimination, based on any aspect of an individual's identity. Stop Hate UK provides independent, confidential and accessible reporting and support for victims, witnesses and third parties.
www.stophateuk.org
True Vision
True Vision has been developed so that hate crimes can be reported online - you do not have to visit a police station to report, and they advise that the police will record and investigate an offence even if you do not want to give your details. However, they also ask those reporting to note that the investigation and ability to prosecute the offender(s) is severely limited if the police cannot contact you and that most importantly, they cannot get you the support you may need.
https://www.report-it.org.uk/your_police_force
https://www.report-it.org.uk/
Confronting Covid-related hate
In December 2020, protection Approaches, Chinese welfare Trust and Newham Chinese Association launched Confronting COVID-relates Hate: Standing with Britain’s Chinese, East & South East Asian Communities, an emergency project that is supporting a nationwide network of British and South east Asian community organisations in responding to the rising levels of hate crimes. This includes information on what constitutes hate crime and how to report it, and is available in a number of East and South East Asian languages.
https://protectionapproaches.org/hate-crime
Within the University
Listening Ears
These are members of staff who also volunteer to be 'listening ears' to provide support to students.
They offer an informal service and work within a code of confidentiality for issues relating to welfare; equality and diversity; and bullying and harassment (including on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, race, sex and sexual orientation).
They are not trained counsellors, but they are provided with training to help them undertake the role.
More information on this service and how to contact them is available here: Listening Ears
Counselling Service
We have professional counsellors who are experienced in working with psychological and emotional issues. They abide by the Ethical Framework set out by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and provide confidential support within a brief therapy model.
More information on the counselling service
Student Unions
The Greenwich Student Union (GSU) is independent from the above support services within the university. If you would prefer to speak to one of their advisors about an issue related to hate crime, please contact the GSU advice team. The service is free and confidential.
Students studying at the Medway Campus can contact the GK Unions advice service.
How will the University deal with reports?
The way in which reports received by the University will be dealt with will depend on the information given and the nature of the incident.
When we receive reports of unacceptable behaviour, under our Student Disciplinary Procedures, the University will investigate and will take appropriate action against those who commit, or commission hate crime.
In cases where an allegation is being considered under the criminal process, the University may not be able to undertake disciplinary action against the responding person until the criminal process is at an end. However, if necessary, the University will consider precautionary action to ensure that a full and proper investigation may be carried out and/or to protect the reporting student and others while the allegation is being dealt with as part of a criminal process or disciplinary process.
Further information
Bullying and Harassment at University Policy and Procedures (Students)
The University has a Bullying and Harassment policy for students available here which explains more about harassment and bullying and sets out our approach to responding to harassment and bullying in our in our community.
Student Disciplinary procedure
The University has a Student Disciplinary Procedure for which explains more about how the University deals with issues of misconduct amongst the University community.