PEOPLE in communities across Leicester are being encouraged to sign up for a new training course designed to help identify, report and tackle hate crime.
The online course called ‘Stand By Me’ is due to take place on November 5 and 12, from 10am to 1pm, and will focus on bystander intervention training – teaching people to recognise hate crime, safely intervene and show solidarity with victims of hate.
It is being run by the anti-hate crime organisation Communities Inc, in partnership with Leicester City Council.
The ‘bystander effect’ refers to situations in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The training explores the reasons why people do not intervene, looks at the process which people go through to decide what action they will take, and examines how interventions to support the victim can be made safely.
The call for people to sign up to take part in the course comes as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week, taking place from October 9 to 16, and which includes a range of resources and events across the UK to highlight and stamp out hate crime of all descriptions.
The importance of reporting hate crime is the key message of the campaign, which involves police forces and local authorities across the country.
Reporting hate crime can be done at the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ‘Stamp It Out’ website, which also contains a wealth of resources, links to training and ways to get involved in tackling hate crime.
Leicester deputy city mayor Cllr Piara Singh Clair leads on tackling hate crime in the city. He said: “There is no place in Leicester’s communities for hate crime, and reporting incidents of hate crime is vital to identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice.
“The training course taking place next month looking at bystander intervention is a very useful resource in terms of getting people to think about what they can do as witnesses to hate crime, and how they can intervene safely to help the person being targeted.
“As a city which have a rich history of diversity, tolerance, respect and welcoming a wide range of people from all walks of life, and are proud of our status as a City Of Sanctuary.
“Working together, our communities can unite to stamp out all forms of hate crime.”
To book a place on the bystander intervention training, visit here.
Hate crime can be reported to Leicestershire Police, via the Stamp It Out website, here.
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