One of the core outcomes of the Accessible Travel Framework is to ensure disabled people feel comfortable and safe using public transport – this includes being free from hate crime, bullying and harassment when travelling.
What is a Hate Crime?
Police Scotland define a hate crime as any criminal offence committed against an individual or property that is motivated by a person’s hatred of someone because of his or her actual or perceived race, religion, transgender identity, sexual orientation or disability.
Here are some ways that you can report a hate crime
- Phone 999 – Emergency Calls
- Phone 101 – Non Emergency Calls
- Email – Contact via police Scotland
- BT 999 SMS – Text Relay Via BT for deaf and hard of hearing people
- Minicom and text relay – 1 800 1 101
- Report non urgent hate crime via online hate crime form: https://www.scotland.police.uk/secureforms/hate-crime/
- Ask the police – Via Police Scotland Website https://www.askthe.scottish.police.uk/content/@1.htm
- Coming Soon – Keep safe app which has link to online hate crime form and police phone numbers
- Coming Soon – Direct text number for deaf and hard of hearing people following pilot in Fife
Hate Crime Reporting
Sometimes a person may feel more comfortable reporting a hate crime to someone other than the police. There are Hate Crime Reporting Centres all over Scotland, and these can make it easier for someone to report a hate crime, simply by talking to someone who will report the crime to the police for them.
http://www.scotland.police.uk/contact-us/hate-crime-and-third-party-reporting/
I Am Me – www.iammescotland.co.uk
I Am Me is a community charity which works in partnership with Police Scotland to raise awareness of Disability Hate Crime (recognised as one of the most under report crimes in the UK).
People First (Scotland) – www.peoplefirstscotland.org
People First (Scotland) have produced a video about recognising hate crime:
Hate Crime Charter
Disability Equality Scotland is working with Stagecoach East, First Scotland East and ScotRail to pilot a new Hate Crime Charter.
The aim of the Pilot is to encourage transport providers, members of the public and other services to support a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime.
Each transport provider involved believes everyone has the right to travel safely and any aggressive, bullying or harassing behaviour will not be tolerated on their services. Examples of hate crime will be taken seriously, and incidents will be reported to Police Scotland.
The Charter is being piloted in the following locations:
- First Bus East – Bus services around Bannockburn in Stirlingshire
- ScotRail – Train stations on the Fife Circle line
- Stagecoach East – Bus services around Leven
Commenting on the Charter, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said:
“Every disabled person in Scotland should be able to travel with choice, dignity and opportunity as outlined in our Accessible Transport Framework
Tackling hate crime is a priority area for us as we strive to improve accessibility and I would encourage transport providers and members of the public to get behind this charter so that everyone can feel safe and secure when using public transport to go about their daily lives.”
Disability Equality Scotland Operations Manager Emma Scott said:
“Our public consultations indicated that people would rather travel on a service that shows its commitment to tackling hate crime, than not. This Charter provides clear and common standards for challenging hate crime, encouraging reporting with the overall aim of prevention of hate crime incidents on the public transport network. We’re delighted so many transport partners are engaged in this process which will help everyone feel comfortable and safe to travel in Scotland.”
Hate Crime Charter Posters
ScotRail
Stagecoach East
First Bus East
