The Support & Report Service is here to help anyone affected by disability hate crime or a disability hate incident. If you choose to report the matter to the police, the Service can support you and help you through the process.
Hate Crime Support
The Hate Crime Support Service confidentially supports all victims of disability hate, whatever the circumstances, and whether or not the matter is reported to the police. This service is mainly for Buckinghamshire residents and workers, although we will support anyone from England if we are able to do so. This is not a crisis or emergency service – click here for crisis and emergency contacts.
The Hate Crime Support Service is run by trained and safeguarded volunteers. We are here to listen to and support anyone affected by disability hate. As well as a caring person to talk to, the service can also put you in touch with other organisations who may be able to help you. Remember, this is not a crisis or emergency service – you can get emergency help here.
BuDS works with partners including Stop Hate UK, Thames Valley Police, and the Buckinghamshire Community Safety Partnership, as well as many other charities. Any partner can refer you to the Hate Crime Support Service. You can also contact us yourself by emailing hatecrimesupport@buds.org.uk, leaving a voicemail on 01494 211179, or messaging BuDS on any social media platform.
The Hate Crime Support Service is completely confidential. Any information you give us is held on a separate encrypted database to which only the Hate Crime Support Service has access. We never share any information you give us with any other party without your prior agreement. The only exception would be if we had genuine concerns about your safety and needed to share information with safeguarding and/or emergency services to keep you safe.
Hate Crime Report
The Hate Crime Report Service helps victims of disability hate to report the incident to the police. It also can support victims while they are in contact with the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), or in court. This service is mainly for Buckinghamshire residents and workers, although we will support anyone living in the Thames Valley police area if we can. This is not a crisis or emergency service – click here for crisis and emergency contacts.
This Service works in two ways:
- You can tell a trained BuDS volunteer about the disability hate crime or incident. We will record the details of the crime or incident, and pass them to the police. You don’t have to speak to the police yourself. We can pass on your name and contact details as well, or we can pass on information to the police without using your name and contact details (anonymously). You can choose whether we give your name and contact details to the police or not.
- If you want the police to investigate a disability hate crime or incident, but you would like some support and help during the process, you can speak to a trained BuDS volunteer who can introduce you to a friendly police officer and support you while you report the crime or incident. The volunteer can support you for as long as you like while your incident is being investigated, right up to going with you to court if the matter gets that far.
Although BuDS volunteers run this Service, they have been specially trained by the police for this work. The team includes a police liaison coordinator who works closely with senior officers of Thames Valley Police. This is to make sure that the right information is collected about disability hate crimes or incidents, and also so that the Service can give you the right support if the matter goes further.
The Hate Crime Report Service is completely confidential. Any information you give us is held on a separate encrypted database to which only the Hate Crime Report Service has access. We will share the information you give us with Thames Valley Police, and they may share it with others. We never share any information you give us with any other party without your prior agreement. The only exception would be if we had genuine concerns about your safety and needed to share information with safeguarding and/or emergency services to keep you safe.
You can contact the Hate Crime Report Service by emailing hatecrimesupport@buds.org.uk, leaving a voicemail on 01494 211179, or messaging BuDS on any social media platform.
Help In A Crisis
The Support & Report service is not a crisis service. Click here for help in a crisis.