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Revamped hate crime service launched

End hate crime

Monday 3 July, sees the launch of Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services – an exciting new collaboration of expert community-based services led by Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI), together with Bristol Mind, Brandon Trust, LGBT Bristol, the Avon and Bristol Law Centre, and Bristol Mediation.

The new service will build on the success of the previous partnership, Bristol Hate Crime Services, which was made up of SARI, Bristol Mind, Brandon Trust, and LGBT Bristol, and provided support for victims of hate crime and local agencies needing advice, training, and education.

With the addition of Avon and Bristol Law Centre and Bristol Mediation, victims and agencies will now be able to access a wider range of services, providing more joined-up support

Hate crime is crime motivated by prejudice against another person because of their ethnicity, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or beliefs. Reported hate crimes have been on the increase since Brexit and recent terror events.

In Bristol alone, 1,602 hate crimes were recorded in 2016-2017 – a 12% rise on the year before. In the same year, Bristol Hate Crime Services opened a record number of 344 cases.

Esther Moore, who manages the project for Brandon, said:

“We hope that this new collaboration will have a positive impact on the under- reporting of disability hate crime, provide better support for victims, and create more opportunities to educate perpetrators.”