Police Scotland is urging young people to “be greater than a hater” as it launches a campaign to raise awareness of hate crime.
Officers warn that many recorded instances of hate crime have a cyber element as increasing numbers of youngsters use social media to bully their peers online or hide behind fake online accounts.
As a result, Police Scotland is today (Friday) launching a social media campaign and working with schools to target young people with the slogan Be Greater than a Hater.
Assistant Chief Constable Gillian MacDonald said, “Tackling hate crime is a priority for Police Scotland and we take reports of any such incidents very seriously.
“Young people may not realise that hate crime can have significant and long-lasting consequences for both victims and perpetrators.
“We are working with partners to inform young people in an effort to prevent these incidents.
“It is vital that people report any hate incidents to us. Everyone has the right to live in safety and without fear.”
Hate crime is defined as “any crime which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by malice or ill will towards a social group”.
Perpetrators will target victims based on their presumed sexual orientation, transgender identity, disability, race and religion or belief.
A total of 5,889 hate crime files were created in 2016/17.
Around 900 cases involved a perpetrator aged between 11 and 15 and one-third of those 900 incidents (32 per cent) also involved victims in the same age-group.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
