Today, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Police and Community Safety Partnerships, and the Hate Crime Advocacy Service, has unveiled a groundbreaking campaign aimed at raising awareness about the profound impact of hate crime on victims and urging the public to report such incidents when witnessed.
Timed to coincide with Hate Crime Awareness Week, the campaign seeks to encourage empathy by prompting individuals to “put yourself in their shoes” and consider how they would feel if they were subjected to hate crime.
Superintendent Sue Steen, the Hate Crime lead for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, emphasised the urgency of addressing hate crime, stating, “In the past 12 months, over 3,000 people have been the victim of a hate crime or hate incident, and in a modern and diverse society, that is simply not acceptable. Northern Ireland may have a reputation for being welcoming, but unfortunately, that is not the experience of individuals who fall victim to hate crimes or incidents.”
