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Hate crime figures released – and numbers have soared

He added: “Of particular concern is disability related hate crime reporting”.

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However, it was noted this may not be a reflection of an increase in crime, but more a willingness for victims to come forward as public awareness of hate crime improves.

Chair of the Hate Crime Criminal Justice Board Cymru, Mark Warrender said: “We welcome the increase in recorded hate crimes across the Welsh forces as a positive indicator that communities are feeling confident to report hate crime to us”.

An LGBT charity has reported that the number of people seeking help from them after homophobic hate crimes has more than doubled.

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: “Over the past year we have experienced a significant increase in the number of hate crimes reported in Greater Manchester”.

“I am pleased that I have been able to support the Hate Crime Network in developing this app and I hope it will help those who may feel uncomfortable speaking to someone directly, to come forward to report and get support”.

Inspector Lynda Lang, from British Transport Police (BTP) said: “Hate crime in any form is totally unacceptable in our society”.

For example, race and religious hate crime has increased from 422 to 531 reports compared to the same 12 month period a year ago.

“In fact”, it adds, “anyone could be a victim of a hate crime”.

A hate crime is one where the victim is targeted due to their race, religion or sexual orientation or because they have a disability or are transgender.

Stark statistics have revealed that hate crimes in England and Wales have seen an unprecedented surge in the a year ago, with the vast majority of the attacks having been classed as racially motivated.

The revelation comes as David Cameron announced that anti-Muslim hate crimes will be recorded in a separate category for the first time by police.

Victims of hate crime are being urged to report incidents to staff at Glasgow Central, Scotland’s busiest train station.

From this week an additional 18 hate crime support officers will be working in Gwent who have received specialist training around dealing with hate crime and supporting victims.

City agencies believe many hate crimes go unreported often because they are concerned that a report may complicate the matter or fearing prejudice from the authorities.

The Commons’ cross-party home affairs select committee also looked at the issue in 2013 and concluded in a report: “Current recording practises are inadequate to give an accurate picture of the extent to which reported crime is committed over the internet”.

British hate crime is measured, with a consistent methodology, year on year.

“We take these crimes very seriously and that’s the objective of National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which is sponsored by the Welsh Government and fully supported by North Wales Police”.

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Anti-Muslim hate crimes in other parts of the United Kingdom are now monitored by Tell MAMA, an unofficial recorder of Islamophobia in the United Kingdom that relies on victims logging incidents online or over the phone.

Police cracking down on hate crimes