Oldham tackles hate crime during week of action

Oldham Council is tackling hate crime virtually this week, with several sessions lined up to inform residents of what hate crime is and how they can receive support.

This comes as part of Greater Manchester’s week of action on hate crime (February 1-7), which not only aims to tackle this abhorrent act, but also encourages those who have been affected to come forward.

With face-to-face engagement sessions unable to take place because of current Coronavirus restrictions, the council has instead organised a number of hate awareness sessions online with various groups and organisations, such as school governors and Oldham Interfaith Forum Women’s Network, to provide information on how to tackle hate crime effectively.

In addition to this, the council is holding a hate crime webinar with Oldham Sixth Form College students to provide a wider understanding of what ‘Hate’ means and why it is important to report all crimes and incidents.

The webinar will feature a powerful on-screen telling of Poet Laureate Simon Armitage’s ‘Black Roses – The Killing of Sophie Lancaster’, which talks about Sophie’s life and death alongside the impact hate crime has on a family and a community.

This will be delivered by The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Stop Hate UK will also be speaking to the students about the harm that hate crime causes and the barriers people need to overcome to seek advice and support.

The council will be conducting an intense social media campaign throughout the week to raise awareness of hate crime and the wider work taking place across Greater Manchester. 

As part of this, the council has partnered up with Oldham Coliseum Theatre to tell the stories of a number of real-life events, with areas of disability hate crime and LGBTQ+ hate crime covered in a series of films to help encourage victims and witnesses to come forward.

Residents will also notice an ad van from Greater Manchester Police travelling across the borough carrying important messages on how people can end hate crime in Oldham and Greater Manchester.

A Hate Crime funding grant is available for voluntary, community and faith groups to apply to, should they wish to deliver an activity that raises awareness of hate crime during 2021.

For more information on how to apply, please visit: www.actiontogether.org.uk/lets-end-hate-crime-2021 

Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet Member for HR and Reform, said: “Hate crime has no place in Oldham.

“When you hear of the experience’s victims have had to endure during these hateful acts, it is deeply upsetting to know people are being victimised in this way.

“Everyone has the right to go about their lives without the fear of being abused, threatened or attacked just because of who they are – and we will not stand for it any longer.

“We will take action when we see it and we urge others to do the same, so if you have been a victim of any type of hate crime please report it to the police – we cannot let people ‘get away with it’. 

“We’ve all got a responsibility to do our bit and stand up to hatred and by doing so, we’ll show our support for the victims and hopefully help put an end to their suffering.” 

This week’s events tie in with the inaugural Race Equality Week which also takes place between February 1-7.

This is a UK-wide initiative to unite organisations and individuals in activity to address issues affecting ethnic minority employees.

For more information on this please visit: www.raceequalitymatters.com

Hate crime is an act of violence or hostility that is directed at a person or group because of who they are or what they think they are.

It comes in many different forms such as physical attacks, a threat of attack and verbal abuse or insults, and anyone can be affected by such incidents.

Unfortunately, many hate crimes go unreported which is why these sessions are taking place this week to help those who are suffering in silence. 

If you have been affected by a hate crime, even if you’re unsure that you’ve been a victim, it is important that you speak to someone. In an emergency call 999 and in a non-emergency call 101 or go to a nearby police station and report it.

Extra support is available for people who wish not to contact the police or for those who need extra support.

This can be accessed at the Stop Hate Helpline - 0800 138 1625 - a free confidential 24-hour hate crime reporting service, or at one of Oldham’s various third-party reporting centres.

For more information on hate crime please visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/hatecrime or call the Victim Support Services helpline: 0161 200 1950..

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