A new App to make it easier to record and report all strands of hate crime in Sussex is being developed with support from Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne and partners.
The one-year pan-Sussex pilot is in partnership with Sussex Police, Brighton & Hove City Council Safer City Team, Victim Support and local authorities across Sussex.
The Self Evident Crime Reporting App is an existing piece of technology developed by social enterprise, Just Evidence. However, financial investment from the PCC and her counterpart in London has enabled more bespoke software to be added which will serve a wider purpose.
Victims of hate crime may want to access help and advice but not necessarily want to involve the police. The App will now allow them to send a report to Victim Support who will then direct them to the appropriate support organisation. Vicitims will also be able to store evidence securely and build a dossier, so they can decide at a later stage if they want to send it to Victim Support or to Sussex Police. Another advantage is that the data will allow partners to anonymously identify where the hate crime hot spots are in the county and react accordingly.
The App also allows witnesses to take a stand against hate crime by reporting what they see.
Mrs Bourne, said; “No one should be singled out and victimised because of their sexuality, gender, race, faith or disability.
“Many minority groups have not always had the same trust in the police. I am determined to improve this for everyone and that is why I fully support any initiative that tackles hate crime, which is a key priority in my Police & Crime Plan.
“The App will hopefully empower victims of hate crime by allowing them to choose the kind of support they want to receive. Ultimately, the App puts the victim in the driving seat.
“I am delighted that its enhanced development has the full backing of experienced partners like the Brighton & Hove Safe in the City Team and Victim Support.
“I look forward to the launch in October and hope that it goes a long way to bringing an end to hate crime”.
Sarah Byrt, manager at Witness Confident, the charity which promotes the app, added: “It’s great news that victims or witnesses of hate crime in Sussex or London will have new and easy ways to report to police and get support with the free Self Evident app. More than 90% of users already recommend the Self Evident app for crime reporting and we’re delighted that the new features will help LGBT people and the whole community in the fight against hate crime.”
Eric Page from the LGBT Safe in the City, said; “We are really pleased to be working with the PCC on this much needed innovation. Report after report shows us how much Hate Crime LGBT people are actually suffering, but many people find reporting mechanisms difficult or take up too much time. This easy, direct and quick new way of reporting and contacting police, council and support agencies – via their own smart phone -will give people a sense of control over their reports and make it much, much easier for victims of all forms of hate crime to report what’s happened to them, and also to choose who they report to. This app makes reporting hate crime as easy and secure as checking your bank account, flight details or social updates on your phone, with as much control as people expect with their data & digital lives”.
Sussex Police Hate Crime Sergeant, Peter Allan, added: “We are working hard with our partners to raise awareness of hate crime and increase trust and confidence within our communities to report it.
“Although we saw a 37% increase in recorded hate crimes and incidents from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015, we still acknowledge that many such crimes and incidents go unreported.
“Sussex Police is pleased to be involved with the enhanced development of the Self-Evident reporting app; to boost its existing reporting function, to include the option for victims to report to a support service only, rather than the police directly. I understand that there are many reasons why victims choose not to report to the police, but I would encourage them to do so, whether it is by app, telephone or online.”
Graham Hill, Victim Support’s Lead Manager for Hate Crime Services in Sussex, said: “People affected by hate crime are often reluctant to tell anybody about what is happening to them. As a consequence they internalise this and ‘suffer in silence’; also they do not access the support that is available to them.
“Together with our partner agencies, we have worked to create an environment in which people have the confidence to tell others they are being targeted. The development of an App to encourage those affected to report this is a very welcome step forward. Having the option to involve the police, if that is their choice or to report to an independent third party is warmly welcomed by Victim Support”.
The App will be officially launched on Tuesday, October 13, during National Hate Crime week (October 10-18) at the Mesmerist, 1-3 Prince Albert Street, Brighton from 10.15am.