Report hate crime

Report hate crime

To report a hate crime, you will need to tell us:

• your name, address and contact details
• when the incident happened
• where the incident happened
• what happened during the incident
• who was involved in the incident
• the names and address of any witnesses
• whether you have contacted the police about the incident
• how the incident has affected you
• if you did anything to stop the incident

You can report a hate crime online, or by visiting the Customer Service Centre, Civic Centre.

Once we receive your report about the incident, we will:

• acknowledge your report within three days of receiving it
• contact you to start our investigation

There are also several other ways you can report hate crime.

Visit a local Hate Crime Incident Reporting Centre

Hate incident reporting centres are community venues where you can report hate incidents and hate crimes, either as a victim or a witness. The local centres for Chelmsford and Maldon are:

• our Civic Centre offices 
• Maldon Council offices, Princes Road, Maldon, CM9 5DL or call 01621 854477
• Witham Jobcentre, 2 Freebournes Court, Witham, CM8 2BL

Speak to the police 

You can speak to the police directly:

• in person at a police station
• by calling 999 for emergencies
• by calling 101 for non-urgent enquiries.
• online via the Essex Police website

More ways to report

You can:

• report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
• report online to True Vision at report-it.org.uk
• call Stop Hate UK on 0800 138 1625 (free 24-hour helpline) or 0808 801 0576 (for under 18s) or visit their website: stophateuk.org/. Stop Hate UK is a national hate crime charity that provide a free 24/7 hate crime reporting and information line to residents in Essex.

Hate crime in any form is inexcusable. By reporting hate crime, you can get help and support if you need it. 

If you tell someone what has happened, such as a friend, family member or agency, it gives you a chance to talk about what happened and decide what to do next. You may want someone to speak to the police on your behalf or you might decide to report using a different option. 

Anyone can report hate crime, regardless of whether they are the victim, witness, or are reporting on behalf of someone else.

There are several options you can use to report hate crime, from reporting anonymously to in person or online. 

If you report hate crime, you may help the police understand the extent of hate crime in your area and they can develop a response. This may prevent these incidents from happening to someone else. Reporting makes a difference, to you, your friends, and your community.

Victim Support

You can contact Victim Support, the national charity that provides free and independent practical and emotional support to victims of crime or traumatic incidents. Victims can access their services regardless of when the crime happened or if the police are involved.

You can:

• call Essex Victim Support on 0808 178 1694 (open 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
• call the national, 24/7 support line on 0808 168 9111
• visit their website at victimsupport.org.uk

Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice, or mediation, is when those harmed by a crime or conflict have contact with the person responsible to try to find a way forward. 

This is voluntary and both sides need to agree for the contact to take place. This is not an alternative to a court-imposed sentence. You can visit the Restorative Justice website for more information.

For guidance on the Criminal Justice System, you can visit the Victims Commissioner website.