Hate crime
Hate crimes and hate incidents are acts motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person because of who they are or who someone thinks they are.
What is a hate crime?
A hate crime is an action or behaviour that is motivated by hostility towards a protected characteristic. These are:
- disability
- race
- religion or belief
- sex and sexual orientation
- transgender identity
Anyone can be a victim of hate crime. You do not have to be a member of the group the hostility is aimed at. For example, you could be called a religious slur without being a member of that religious group.