Tackling hate-related behaviour through early action

What started as a disagreement about a fridge being left outside  properties in Birmingham, had developed into allegations of repeated racial name-calling and hostility.

Our Neighbourhood Officer took time to understand what had happened, speaking to both customers and gathering information as part of the investigation.

As part of the investigation, Gillian arranged to visit the customer who had been accused of the behaviour.

The visit gave them a chance to talk face-to-face, hear the customer's side of the story and explain the concerns that had been raised.

The customer said they wanted to record the conversation. Our colleague was happy for them to do this and continued with the conversation openly.

Rather than simply talking about what had happened, Gillian also discussed how the disagreement could be handled differently in future.

The conversation led to an unexpected moment when the customer stopped the recording and told our colleague: “I like you” and “You didn’t sound the way you look.”

The comment showed that the customer had made assumptions about our colleague before meeting them.

It also gave our colleague a chance to talk openly about respect, behaviour and how our words can affect other people.

Throughout the visit, our colleague stayed calm and focused on finding a way forward.

They explained what behaviour was expected, what could happen if the harassment continued and how the customer could communicate with their neighbour differently in future.

The customer listened to the advice and said they would follow it.

For the customer who reported the abuse, being listened to and knowing their concerns were being taken seriously was an important part of the process.

For our colleague, the case showed the difference that a face-to-face conversation can make to de-escalate tensions and encourage positive behavioural change.

Our Neighbourhoods teams play an important role in helping customers feel safe and supported at home.

Our customer-facing colleagues are also completing specific hate crime training, helping them recognise hate crime, support customers and take the right action when concerns are raised.

Hate crime can affect anyone. It includes abuse, harassment or other criminal behaviour because of someone's race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity.

If you experience hate crime or are worried about someone else, you don't have to deal with it alone.

This case shows how listening, speaking up and having difficult conversations can help tackle hate and make our communities safer and more welcoming for everyone.