A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race or perceived race, prejudice based on a person’s religion or perceived religion, prejudice based on a person’s sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, prejudice based on a person’s disability or perceived disability, or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.

Equality Act 2010

English Gypsies and Irish Travellers–Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised as two distinct ethnic minority groups in law because they are recognised as members of a community with a shared history, culture and language stretching back over hundreds of years. As such they are granted the full protection of the Equality Act.

Types of Discrimination

Members of the Gypsy and Traveller communities can often face harassment and discrimination on a daily basis as a result of negative stereotypes and deeply ingrained cultural prejudices. Unfortunately, many instances of harassment and discrimination go unchallenged because they are subtle and indirect. However, there are ways to counter harassment and discrimination and there are specific instances when it can be successfully challenged.

Report Racism is for anyone that has experienced or witnessed any type of anti-Gypsy Roma Travellerism, abuse, discrimination, harassment or violence.

A working definition of Anti-Gypsy Roma Travellerism

Anti-Gypsy Roma Travellerism is a systemic, historically constructed, persistent and complex use of racist and discriminatory discourse, used in a narrow sense to indicate anti-Gypsy Roma Traveller attitudes and expressions of negative stereotypes. It is a multi-faceted phenomenon that has wide social and political acceptance and is a critical obstacle to the inclusion of Gypsy Roma and Travellers in broader society. It acts to prevent Gypsy Roma Traveller people from enjoying, equal rights and justice, opportunities, gainful social-economic participation, and achieving their full potential.

Visit the Report Racism GRT website.

You can call the Report Racism GRT Hate Crime Officer to report an incident.

• If you are in or near Hertfordshire, call 07534 790984