CUMBRIA police will be joining partners from across the county to tackle hate crime issues as part of a national campaign starting tomorrow.

The purpose of Hate Crime Awareness Week is to raise awareness of what hate crime is and how to respond to it, to encourage reporting and to promote local services and resources.

Hate crimes are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards their disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Officers and staff will be working with partners throughout the week to highlight different hate crimes. Social media with #WeStandTogether  will also be used to issue information and advice.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Brown said: “Unfortunately national surveys have shown that hate crime is majorly under reported and we are continuing to work hard to build trust and confidence.

“We need to make sure that people understand what hate crime is and that they have the knowledge and confidence to be able to report it.

“It is unacceptable to be victimised in this way and we take hate crime very seriously. We will do our best to support victims and witnesses to make it stop and bring perpetrators to justice.”

One element of hate crime being focused on by Cumbria Police is disability hate crime, and Diversity Officer PC Julie Dodd will be delivering an information session to members of the deaf community in Carlisle during the week.

Julie said: “This is one of four countywide sessions that we are holding in partnership with Deaf Vision, with the aim to inform the deaf community about hate crime and how to report it to the Police.

“Like other hate crimes, disability hate crime is under reported and therefore we need to work with partner agencies and communities to address this.”

Police will also be working with MENCAP to raise awareness of disability hate crime, and on Tuesday (13th) the charity will launch a DVD about the topic. The DVD was created by the Independence Studio – a social enterprise for people with learning disabilities in north Cumbria, which is part of the Carlisle MENCAP charity.

Sheila Gregory, of Carlisle MENCAP, said: “The DVD was made because they were concerned about hate crime – some of them victims of it themselves.

“Some people with learning disabilities don’t even understand they are being abused and the film tells them how to recognise it, how to report it and who can help them to stay safe.

“Everyone at Carlisle MENCAP is pleased that Cumbria Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office take disability hate crime so seriously, with the funding and support shown by them, and also Direct Rail Services, in the making of this film a great example of this.”

Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes said: “If we are to stamp out hate crime in the county, we need people to come forward and tell us about it.

“Any crime is unacceptable, but hate crime in particular has such a dramatic impact on people’s lives, so any initiative that makes it easier for people to get in touch is to be welcomed.

“I would strongly encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed a hate crime or hate incident to come forward and report it.”

Hate crime can be reported via: