The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a new campaign, #HateCrimeMatters, to mark the publication of new public statements on how the service will prosecute hate crime offenders and support victims in England and Wales.

Amid rising volumes of reports to police, the CPS consulted community groups and criminal justice partners to produce these revised statements, covering the different strands of hate crime: racist and religious; disability; and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic.

In addition to the public statements, the CPS has also published revised legal guidance that sets out how prosecutors should make charging decisions and handle these cases in court.

Key points contained within the documents include:

In recognition of the growth of hate crime perpetrated using social media, a commitment to treat online crime as seriously as offline offences, while taking into account the potential impact on the wider community as well as the victim.

For the first time, CPS policy will acknowledge that victims of biphobic hate crime have different experiences and needs to victims of homophobic and transphobic offences.

The CPS recognises it has a responsibility to actively remove barriers to justice for disabled victims and witnesses, ensuring they get the right support to enable them to give their best evidence.

It is also publishing an online support guide specifically for disabled victims and witnesses of crime.

The statements are available here: http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/hate_crime/

If you or someone you know has been affected by hate crime in Warwickshire, please report it. There are a number of ways you can do this:

• For non-emergencies call 101
• In an emergency call 999
• Report online to True Vision
• Call in at a police station or stop a police officer in the street
• Contact Victim Support on 0300 303 1977
• Contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

For more information about hate crime, please visit our webpage www.safeinwarwickshire.com/hatecrime