WIREDGOV

Communities and Children Secretary, Carl Sargeant yesterday published the Welsh Government’s annual  Hate Crime Delivery Plan for 2016-17 which aims to reduce the number of hate crimes and incidents across Wales.

The plan sets out how the Welsh Government will continue to deliver work with the police, local authorities and third sector organisations to tackle hate crime encourage victims to report incidences and to support them. 

Actions include increasing awareness of hate crime through initiatives such as Holocaust Memorial Day, Hate Crime Awareness Week and Anti-Bullying Week, working with children and young people in schools, working with community groups to educate them about the issues, increasing training and awareness across the public sector to identify and tackle hate crime and  funding for Victim Support Cymru to run the National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre. 

Announcing the publication, the Cabinet Secretary said:

“Sadly, hate crimes and incidents in Wales have been widely reported in the media following the outcome of the EU referendum. It is therefore a very appropriate time for us to publish our plan to tackle hate crime. Hate crime is despicable and we continue to take a zero tolerance approach towards it.”

“Recent statistics suggest that while there has been a 20% increase in the reporting of hate crimes, the number of crimes fell by 28% between 2008 and 2015. This is a positive sign that victims are reporting incidences of hate crime and have confidence that they will be dealt with. It is vitally important we all continue to work together to tackle intolerance and hatred in our society, and to give victims the confidence that their concerns will be heard.”

“It is particularly fitting that I am publishing this plan, on the day First Minister is attending the Welsh national commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide where he will speak of the need to unite to oppose hatred and those who seek to divide us so that our young people, as well as future generations, can learn about the importance of living in a tolerant and just society.”