HORIZON LGB&T and Renaissance are working together this year to support IDAHOBIT, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
Renaissance has recently recruited a new Hate Crime Support worker, thanks to funding secured from Victim Support, with the specialism in supporting LGB&T community members across Lancashire.
INTRODUCING SOPHIE
Sophie Bell has been appointed the new LGB&T Hate Crime Support Worker for Lancashire. The role has been created to ensure those who have been victims of a hate crime or a hate incident, get the emotional and practical support they need. Sophie’s role will help those affected overcome the incident, increase their feelings of safety and attempt to increase the hate crimes reported. The more hate crimes that are reported, the more action can be taken to prevent it happening further, through policy change and policing strategies.
THE NEW ROLE
Sophie will provide service users with non-judgemental, practical and emotional support to help them overcome and recover from hate crime. Support will be given to victims who wish to report the crime/incident to the police and ongoing support/information given throughout the process of the criminal justice system, where required.
Hate crimes can be reported in a number of ways, including directly to the police, online via a national website or to a third party reporting centre. The number of ways to report would suggest that hate crimes can be difficult to report and are massively under reported. Sophie will aim to increase the amount reported and support those who wish to report through the process which could seem daunting.
#IDAHOBIT
On Wednesday the 17th of May, Sophie will be joined by PC Ian Ashton from 11am until 2pm, to host an information station at Sainsburys Talbot Road BLACKPOOL. PC Ashton will also be bringing the Police With Pride Blackpool Vehicle to the event. This will be a chance to meet Sophie and PC Ashton to discuss the services provided and the steps into reporting a Hate Crime and or Hate Incident.
To contact Sophie for Hate Crime Support or to discuss the services available you can use any of the following:
Call the office on 01253 311431
Call or Text – 07701 373281
Email – LGBTHateCrime@druglinelancs.co.uk
