If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 999 (or 112 from a mobile).
- If an incident has just happened, try and find somewhere that feels safe.
- Stay as calm as you can and don’t retaliate or react in a way that puts you at more risk.
Know it is serious
Keep in mind that the University and the police will take a violent or hostile incident motivated by prejudice very seriously. UWE Bristol will also take seriously any treatment which you feel is less favourable than others, based on protected characteristics.
Talk
Talking things through with someone you trust can sometimes help the immediate situation. It’s also one way to think through what, if anything, you want to do.
If you leave hate crime it can escalate to more serious crimes or tensions in the community.
Listen
If someone tells you they think they’ve experienced a hate crime or incident or discrimination, just taking the time to listen and talk with them can help. These active listening tips might help you support them. Based on the Samaritans guidelines for active listening, SpunOut.ie has a useful blog post on how to actively listen.
Practical tips
- Keep a note of what has happened – the time, date, where and anything that will help with an investigation, eg any description of your attacker or their vehicle, or details of any witnesses to the attack.
- So long as it is safe to do so, you can take a photo or film or record the incident.
- Ask any witnesses if they would be prepared to come forward and record their details if you have them.
- Bring a friend with you if you decide to go in person to report the incident to the police
- Get advice from the police or another specialist agency on how you can keep yourself safe.
Take care of yourself
It’s important that you take care of yourself. Discrimination and hate crimes or incidents can have a long-term and serious effect on your emotional and physical health. If you’ve heard something distressing or if something is troubling you, confidential help is available. Please look for support and/or make a report.
Report it
- Reporting discrimination or hate crime or incidents stops it from getting worse, stops it from happening to others and helps make communities safer.
- You can tell us about discrimination, a hate incident or a hate crime using the University’s Report and Support system. Report anonymously or provide us with contact details. If you give details, we’ll get in touch to discuss the potential next steps, which could include you making a formal report.
- Anyone can talk to the Campus Police Officer and report an incident. They can be contacted through the 9999 UWE Bristol Gatehouse telephone number.
- The police have created a hate crime support page. If you want to report something non-urgent to the police you can call 101 or complete a report form.
- Bristol City Council have information on hate crime reporting.