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“When we stand together, united as one community, we can make a real difference to tackling hate crime in our society.”

“Pan fyddwn yn sefyll gyda'n gilydd, yn unedig fel un gymuned, gallwn wneud byd o wahaniaeth i fynd i'r afael â throseddau casineb yn ein cymdeithas.”

Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt on the launch of the ‘Hate Hurts Wales’ campaign

“When we stand together, united as one community, we can make a real difference to tackling hate crime in our society.”

Jane Hutt on the launch of the ‘Hate Hurts Wales’ campaign

In a bid to raise awareness and reporting of hate crime in Wales the Welsh Government are today launching the ‘Hate Hurts Wales’ campaign, a major anti-hate crime campaign developed and launched in Wales.

Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt highlighted the need for everyone to stand together to support victims of hate crime and ensure incidents are reported to the police or Victim Support Cymru.

The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt stated:

“Unfortunately, recorded hate crime in Wales is all too common, across the four Welsh Police Force areas there were 4,023 recorded hate crimes in 2019-20. The campaign aims to make clear that hate affects us all and undermines our shared values of common humanity. It’s also important that we ensure that victims and bystanders feel empowered to report hate crime, wherever they see it.”

The Minister continued:

“When we stand together, united as one community, we can make a real difference to tackling hate crime in our society. Over the coming weeks and months, the Welsh Government will shine a light on real life scenarios that individuals have experienced, through social media and on TV.

When one community is targeted by bigotry we must do everything we can to challenge it. Whether it is racism, anti-Semitism, islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, anti-disability prejudice or any other form of hate, we must unite to demonstrate that Wales will not tolerate it.

Hate and all forms of bigotry, has no home in Wales.”

Jess Rees, Wales Hate Crime Manager at the National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre Wales said:

“Hate crime can have a particularly devastating impact on victims as it’s a very personal attack on part of their identity. Yet, it is hugely underreported as victims often fear they won’t be taken seriously or worry that the incident is ‘too trivial’ to report.

“We’re proud to support the ‘Hate Hurts Wales’ campaign and we welcome efforts to tackle hate crime in the community. From our experience, we’ve seen far too many victims seriously impacted, both emotionally and physically and it’s really important that people know hate crime is a serious offence.

“Whether or not people have reported an incident to the police, Victim Support is here to help victims affected by hate crime whenever they need it. No one should feel unsafe because of the scourge of hate crime.”

Notes to editors

More information:

Hate Hurts Wales campaign info:

  • There are 5 key characteristics protected by hate crime laws: race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and disability.
  • The campaign uses hate crime scenarios to highlight each of the 5 protected characteristics – these are based on actual prosecuted hate crimes identified working with the CPS.
  • The campaign has been developed working with stakeholders and has been tested with people within the protected characteristic groups, other vulnerable groups such as migrants, and the general public.
  • The campaign adverts will initially be shared on TV and on digital and social media channels during the first campaign burst throughout March 2021. 
  •  If you would like to use the footage of the campaign videos, please contact Riyadh Issa- Riyadh.Issa@gov.wales (07971 963037)

Hate Crime Statistics:

  • Hate Crime Statistics for England and Wales have been released by the Home Office on Tuesday 13 October 2020, which show a 2% increase in recorded hate crimes across Wales compared to 2018-19. This compares to an overall 8% increase across England and Wales.

There were 4,023 recorded hate crimes across the four Welsh Police Force Areas of which:

  • 2,634 (65%) were race hate crimes;
  • 763 (19%) were sexual orientation hate crimes;
  • 199 (5%) were religion hate crimes;
  • 453 (11%) were disability hate crimes; and
  • 132 (10%) were transgender hate crimes.