Hate crime is any offence committed against person or property which is motivated by the offender’s hatred of people because they are seen as being different.

The Association of Chief Police Officers actual definition of hate crime is: “A hate crime is any crime where the perpetrators prejudice against any identifiable group of people is a factor in determining who is victimised.”

As far as police definitions go, this is one of the easier ones to understand. Traditionally hate crime has always been under reported by the public. This could be due to any numbers of factors. It is important to know that South Wales Police is totally committed to fair and appropriate treatment for every individual in the community, however there are some occasions when appropriate treatment can and does mean different responses depending on cultural, individual or local needs. Responding to hate crime falls into this category.

If you are aware of any incidents, such as verbal abuse, harassment, physical attack, damage to property, bullying or graffiti that you believe was motivated by:

  • Racism
  • Religion/belief
  • Homophobia
  • Transphobia
  • Disability

Reporting Hate Crime

If you need to report a hate crime, please use one of the following means:

South Wales Police Minorities Support Unit on 
Tel: 01443 743672 / 029 2052 7234 / 01639 889125
Hate Crime Reporting Line on
Tel: 0800 5878973
