Hate crime advice for Portsmouth Homes residents

This information is for Portsmouth Homes tenants and leaseholders in Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Winchester.

At Portsmouth Homes, we want everyone to feel safe and welcome in their home and community. We do not tolerate discrimination or hate in any form.

If you are not a Portsmouth Homes tenant or leaseholder, visit our hate crime page.

On this page

• Reporting hate crime and incidents
• What is hate crime
• Why it matters
• What we can do
• What is a hate crime vs hate incident
• What Portsmouth Homes will do
• Support services available
• Portsmouth Homes Hate Crime and Hate Incidents policy

Call 999 in an emergency if:

• a crime is happening now
• someone suspected of a crime is nearby
• there is danger to life
• violence is being used or threatened

For non-emergencies, you can:

• report online using the True Vision website or call the police on 101
• contact your housing officer or leasehold officer
• report online using the antisocial behaviour form

Hate crime is any criminal act motivated by prejudice or hostility towards someone because of:

• race or ethnicity
• religion or belief
• sexual orientation
• disability
• transgender identity

Hate crime and hate incidents are serious and can deeply affect victims and witnesses. If you experience or witness hate crime, please report it. We will take your report seriously.

• listen and take every report seriously – your concerns matter to us
• work closely with the Police, your local council, and partners to prevent and tackle hate behaviour
• gather evidence available (such as CCTV, speaking with witnesses) to support investigations
• take appropriate action, including tenancy enforcement if someone is convicted of a hate crime
• support anyone affected to feel safe, included, and heard

Hate crime

Hate crime is any criminal act motivated by prejudice or hostility towards someone because of:

• Race or ethnicity
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Disability
• Transgender identity

Examples include physical assault, criminal damage, threats of violence, and harassment.

Hate incident

A hate incident is any behaviour motivated by the same hostility or prejudice but may not be a crime. Examples include offensive comments or jokes, name-calling, or excluding someone because of who they are.

Why report it?

Hate crimes and hate incidents can have a serious impact on individuals and communities. Even if it’s not a crime, report it because hate incidents can escalate into more serious behaviour. Every report helps us take action and keep people safe.

Portsmouth Homes will:

• Take reports seriously and investigate promptly
• Work with Police and partner agencies
• Offer support including safety planning, repairs for damage, and support with referrals to specialist services such as Victim Support and Stop Hate UK

• Stop Hate UK – Advocacy and support centre which is available 24- hours a day, 365 days a year. Stop Hate UK run awareness campaigns which help to ensure that people affected by hate crime and discrimination are seen, heard and supported. Call 0800 138 1625 or email info@stophateuk.org.
• True Vision is a third-party reporting service which help to support victims of hate crime, including internet hate crime and alternative sub-cultures hate crime. Email enquiries@report-it.org.uk.
• Race & Religion The Monitoring Group – an anti-racism organisation that focuses on aiding victims of racist hate crime through casework, campaigns, and research. Call 020 7582 7438 or email office@tmg-uk.org.
• TellMAMA Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks (MAMA) – is a secure and reliable service that allows people from across England to report any form of Anti-Muslim abuse. Call 0800 456 1226, email info@tellmamauk.org or report online on the TellMAMA website.
• CST Protecting Our Jewish Community – a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats. CST provides security advice and training for Jewish communal organisations, schools and synagogues. For general enquiries, call 020 8457 9999 or email enquiries@cst.org.uk. Report a crime online on the CST website or call 0800 032 3263.
• Galop the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity – an anti-racism organisation that focuses on aiding victims of racist hate crime through casework, campaigns, and research. For general enquiries, call 020 7582 7438 or their helpline on 0800 999 5428, or email info@galop.org.uk. For referrals, you can visit the official galop website.
• Mermaids – supporting trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children and young people, as well as their families and professionals involved in their care. Call the helpline 0808 801 0400 or email info@mermaidsuk.org.uk.
• Disability Rights UK – help to raise awareness of hate offences against disabled people and provides advice and support for victims and their associates. Call 0330 995 0400 or email enquiries@disabilityrightsuk.org.