Findings from a recent online police survey showed that 83 per cent of the 175 people who answered did not report an incident of hate crime. Reasons for not reporting a crime included fear of a revenge attack and concern over a lack of evidence.
Figures show there has been a steady rise in the number of hate crimes being reported over the last ten years with a further spike in 2015, when a new ‘hate crime policy’ was introduced by the States police. Under the policy the prosecution of any hate crime – prejudice based on a person’s race, religion, sexual orientation or disability – is fast-tracked.
The total number of hate crimes to date this year is 25, compared with 36 in 2016. In 2015 the police dealt with 66 hate crimes.
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull said: ‘I regard an increase in hate crime as a positive thing because it suggests more people are coming forward but not that more crime is taking place.
‘We live in a very tolerant society and the government, public sector and community are all working hard to stamp out hate crime.
‘The States introduced an age discrimination law last year and a disability strategy earlier this year – we do continue to make small steps to limit any kind of discrimination.
‘Our main aim is to make sure victims of crime have confidence in the police’s commitment to them.’
