A hard-hitting conference to raise awareness of Hate Crime was held recently at Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre – and left a huge impact on those in attendance.
Attended by Minister Aisling Reilly, the ‘Put Yourself in their Shoes’ event gave voice to a number of guest speakers from a variety of walks of life, who shared their very personal experiences of being a victim of Hate Crime.
Organised in partnership with Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Policing & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) and Victim Support NI, this event also focused on the Victim Support NI Hate Crime Manifesto which highlights how statutory, community and private sector partners can work collaboratively to improve support to victims and curb hate in society.
“Hate Crime incidents are something we unfortunately now hear about on an almost daily basis and everyone should be able to live a life free from fear and isolation,” commented the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Councillor Sarah Duffy.
“The individuals who spoke today were incredibly brave to share their story to help raise awareness of Hate Crime, and really made us all think about how we would feel if we were on the receiving end of it.”
Junior Minister Reilly said: “I commend Victim Support NI on the launch of the ‘We Stand Together’ anti-hate crime campaign and publishing their ‘Hate Crime Manifesto’. We must condemn all forms of hate crime and confront prejudice head on.
We see the devastating impact it has on victims, their families and our communities and it is crucial the voices of those affected are heard. Everyone who lives here deserves to be part of a fair and inclusive society where everyone is made to feel safe and welcome.
Diversity is a strength.”
Hate Crime is the perpetrator’s hostility or prejudice against any person or property on the grounds of the victim’s ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, political opinion or disability – and these incidents have continued to rise in Northern Ireland over the past decade.
“This conference was really informative and helped to increase awareness and understanding about Hate Crime and in particular, really opened our eyes to the hate incidents that people have experienced in our communities,” commented Alderman Mark Baxter, Chair of the PCSP.
“We would encourage everyone to report any incidents of Hate Crime and to never be afraid to speak out against it. We all need to tackle this together.”
To report a Hate Crime please contact the Police on 101 or online https://www.psni.police.uk/report You can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with complete anonymity.
For help, support and advice on Hate Crime, click here: https://hcasni.com/
This event was part funded by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and The Executive Office.
