This webpage is for people who have autism or a learning disability and want to find out more about hate crime and how to get help. This page will:

• Explain what a hate crime is
• Give you some advice about how to stay safe
• Explain how you can talk to the police. You should talk to the police if you think someone has committed a crime against you or is going to commit a crime against you.

What happens when you report a hate crime?

We've worked with the National Police Chief's Council to make a guide about how to spot and report a disability hate crime, and what happens when you do. There is an easy read version of the guide you can download from the report-it website.

Watch Mark's video

Our Campaigns Advisor, Mark, has a learning disability. In this video (made with the Foundation For People With Learning Disabilites) he explains what hate crime is. [embed]https://youtu.be/OjoRVPvnaHw[/embed]

What is a hate crime?

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about what a hate crime is.[/caption] A hate crime can be when somebody does something that could:

• Hurt you
• Scare you
• Upset you
• Damage your property
• Steal something from you
• Force you to do something you don’t want to do

Who can commit a hate crime?

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about people who could commit a hate crime.[/caption] Anyone can commit a hate crime. Sometimes hate crimes are committed by a stranger. Sometimes hate crimes are committed by people who pretend to be your friend. Sometimes hate crimes are committed by people who are supposed to care for you. This does not mean you need to be scared of everybody. There are a lot of good people in the world. There are some things you can do to protect yourself and understand if you are a victim of a hate crime.

What does a hate crime look like?

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section gives some examples of hate crime.[/caption] If somebody makes you feel scared, it could be a hate crime. If somebody is damaging your home or things you own, it could be a hate crime. If somebody is taking money from you, it could be a hate crime. If somebody is hurting your body or doing things you don’t want them to, it could be a hate crime. If somebody is shouting things that make you feel upset, it could be a hate crime. If somebody you know is forcing you to do things you aren’t comfortable with, it could be a hate crime. If somebody you know isn’t being nice to you or laughs at you, it could be a hate crime.

How can I protect myself?

[caption id="attachment_8556" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about some ways to help protect yourself.[/caption] Knowing what a hate crime is will help you protect yourself. If you think someone is committing a hate crime against you, you should talk to somebody you trust so they can help. If you are worried about your safety, talk to your support team or carer, or someone trust.

Talking to the police

[caption id="attachment_8557" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about how you can contact the police.[/caption] The police are there to help you and to protect you. You can talk to the police by...

Calling 999

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about calling the police number when it is an emergency.[/caption] This is the phoneline to tell the police about something that is an emergency. You should call this number if you, or somebody else, is in danger. You should tell the person who answers that you need to talk to the police. You should tell the person that answers that you have autism or a learning disability. This will help them communicate with you better. It will also help them to work out if what is happening might be a hate crime or incident.

Calling 101

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about calling the police number when it is not an emergency.[/caption] This is a phoneline to tell the police about something that is not an emergency. You should call this number if you are not in immediate danger but are concerned about how someone is behaving towards you. When somebody answers the phone tell them that you would like to report something and tell them that you have autism or a learning disability. This will help them communicate with you better. It will also help them to work out if what is happening might be a hate crime or incident.

Going to the police station

[caption id="attachment_8560" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about going to the police station.[/caption] If you think you are in danger you can go to the police station and talk to somebody. Remember that the police are very busy and you might have to wait for somebody to talk to. Or they might ask you to come back at a different time. You should tell the person that you are talking to that you think you might be in danger. You should tell the person you are talking to that you have autism or a learning disability. This will help them communicate with you better. It will also help them to work out if what is happening might be a hate crime or incident.

Reporting a hate crime online

[caption id="attachment_8563" align="alignnone" width="426"] This section talks about using the internet to report a crime.[/caption] This section talks about using the internet to report a crime You can also report a hate crime online. You might need somebody to support you to do this. Visit this webpage and click on 'Click Here to Report to your local police'. Do not use this method if:

• The person who committed the hate crime is still there
• You or anyone else is hurt or in danger
• You think the person who committed the hate crime will return

If you need help straight away call 999 and tell them you need help from the police. Use the buttons below to find out more.