Police in the area have urged victims to report and find the information they need during National Hate Crime Awareness Week. 

Inspector Rebecca Richardson, of the Barnsley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We will listen to you. Reporting hate crime enables us to support victims, deal with it appropriately, and work with our partners to better understand such incidents.”

Police are working with partner agencies across the country to make sure that victims feel comfortable and ensure that the instances will be fully investigated. 

National Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from 12th to 19th October and was first set up in 2009 to mark ten years since the racist and homophobic attacks in London in which 3 people were killed and over 100 injured. 

Insp. Richardson said: “Hate crime can happen to anyone and is defined as any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.” 

Hate crimes have been on the rise in South Yorkshire, with 4,366 being reported in the year 2022/23, the largest number reported in the past 5 years. 

Most of these crimes were reported as being regarding race, with the victim’s sexual orientation being the second largest factor. 

South Yorkshire police have said that these crimes can go unreported, but spreading awareness to encourage anyone who has encountered hate to come forward. 

Through having victims come forward, they believe they will have a better understanding of hate crimes and will be better equipped to prevent them in the future.

This comes after South Yorkshire Police pledged to support and build a better relationship with Black communities, as well as to reduce racism in their own police force.