Homophobia is a crime. Don't let it go un-reported !

Homophobia / Transphobia can be defined as prejudice or discrimination against those identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered. Such behaviour is attributed directly to social intolerance towards those who are, or are perceived, not to be hetrosexual.

The police use the following definition when recording a homophobic incident:

"Any incident which is perceived to be homophobic by the victim or any other person".

This means any incident (not necessarily a crime) which appears to be related to individual’s actual or perceived sexuality.

Prejudice and homophobic attitudes are still prevalent in the United Kingdom. Homophobic crime is largely unreported to the police. It is Hertfordshire Constabulary’s policing priority to combat homophobic hate crime and target the perpetrators.

Why you should report it

We take homophobic incidents seriously and understand that this kind of crime can have a devastating affect on the individual. We are committed to giving all victims of crime a professional and sensitive service.

Don’t suffer in silence

Reporting homophobic crime means you help the police to build up patterns of crime and apprehend offenders. Any information you can give us will help us build up our knowledge. A name, an address or a description of people who commit hate crime will enable us to target criminals and stop the abuse.

"What you know may be the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle".

Left unreported people who carry out these crimes are likely to commit similar offences again and could be harming others. Your report may prevent it from happening to someone else.

You do not have to be the victim to report an incident

If someone you know is a victim, or if you witness such an incident then please report it.

• Any person can say it’s homophobic
• The incident need not be a crime
• No incident is trivial
• All homophobic incidents and crimes will be recorded

Privacy and confidentiality

We understand that people experiencing homophobia may be reluctant to report a crime or incident because of concern over perceived police attitudes, the fear of retribution by offenders, or concern about their own sexuality becoming known.

All reports of homophobic/transphobic incidents will be treated in the strictest confidence. Your Hate Crime Officer can explain this to you.

You can tell us about a Hate Crime in several ways, including on-line reporting:

• In an emergency call 999
• Phone or call in to a Hertfordshire Constabulary police station click here
• Contact your local Hate Crime Officer click here
• Contact other reporting centres throughout Hertfordshire click here
• Online
  Click here to report a Hate Crime online.
  (You can also print this form and take or post it to your local police station click here)

If you are "not" reporting a Hate Crime please click here

If you have any issues you would like to discuss in person in confidence a representative will be available on the following dates:

Awaiting New Dates.

Alternatively you can use the following form and post it Download Self Reporting Form