04 Oct 2023
Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn will this month be hosting a webinar on Online Hate Crime as part of Hate Crime Awareness week.
The Lunch Time Learning Webinar on Online Hate Crime, will delve into the complex challenges that police forces in England and Wales encounter when investigating online hate crime reports.
The responsibilities of the police when responding to online hate are the same as those for any other type of hate crime or non-crime hate incident.
However, as highlighted by the College of Policing, online hate presents operational challenges, including:
- establishing the jurisdiction of the crime, for example, country and force area where the offender posted the material
- the anonymous nature of most offensive material
- the unwillingness of, or legal restraint on, online industry bodies to disclose user identity
- the volume of material online, and on digital devices and determining a proportionate response to this.
The panel of expert speakers at the webinar, include representatives from Dyfed-Powys Police, the Wales Hate Support Centre at Victim Support who provide support for victims of Hate Crime across Wales, dedicated local Community Cohesion Officers, and the National School Liaison Project Lead, who will provide valuable insights and solutions to address the growing concerns around Hate Crime.
The aim of the webinar is to give an overview of the current landscape of online hate crimes in England and Wales, and the challenges Police face when investigating online hate crime reports.
There will also be an opportunity to learn about the critical role played by Victim Support in helping those affected by online hate crimes, and to discover the role of local Community Cohesion Officers in fostering unity and resilience in communities affected by hate crimes, and to learn about the support the School Beat Teams offer schools in educating young people about the effects of Online Hate.
PCC Dafydd Llywelyn said:
“Experiencing hate crime can be a particularly frightening experience as you've been targeted because of who you are, or who or what your attacker thinks you are. Unlike non-identity related offences, the attack is very personal and specifically targeted, which means it’s less likely to be a random attack.
“This webinar will be an opportunity for us to discuss the complex challenges that police forces in England and Wales encounter when investigating online hate crime reports.
“I’m extremely grateful to the guest speakers for agreeing to participate in the discussions, and I look forward to introducing them.
“If you work within the Criminal Justice System, the education and youth sector, or a victim support advocate, I would encourage you to come along to join the conversation.”
The webinar will take place on Wednesday 18 October 2023, between 12:30 and 14:00.
Registration is via Eventbrite which can be accessed through the below QR code or by clicking here.
ENDS
Further information:
OPCC.Communication@dyfed-powys.police.ukIME REPORTS
