Discrimination and hate crime
What is discrimination?
What is discrimination?
Discrimination means treating someone less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic. Protected characteristics include:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage or civil partnership
- Pregnancy or maternity
- Race, ethnicity or nationality
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
What can discrimination look like?
Discrimination can take many forms, including:
- Excluding someone from activities or opportunities
- Using offensive language, jokes or stereotypes
- Refusing to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person
- Treating someone differently because of their religion, gender, sexuality or ethnicity
- Bullying, intimidation or unfair decision-making
What is a hate crime?
What is a hate crime?
A hate crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated by prejudice, hostility or malice towards a particular characteristic.
A hate crime or hate incident is any incident perceived by the victim, or by any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's:
- Disability
- Race, ethnicity or nationality
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Transgender identity
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Harassment
- Verbal abuse, such as name-calling or offensive jokes
- Bullying or intimidation
- Threats of violence
- Abusive phone or text messages, emails or hate mail
- Online abuse or harassment through social media or other digital platforms
- Displaying or distributing discriminatory literature, posters or other materials
- Damage to property or vehicles
- Graffiti
- Arson
- Malicious or discriminatory complaints
Support at UHI Inverness
Support at UHI Inverness
- If an assault has just taken place and you are not in a safe place, feel at risk or have injuries requiring urgent attention, call the emergency services on 999 immediately.
- If you are not in immediate danger, contact a trusted friend or family member and, if possible, go somewhere you feel safe.
- If you have any physical symptoms or injuries following an assault, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Our priority is making sure you, or the person you are reporting on behalf of, receives appropriate advice, support and care following your experience.
Speak to a member of staff or report the breach online. If you are a student studying on an FE course (SCQF levels 1–6), you can also speak to your PDA about any concerns affecting your studies or personal wellbeing.
A member of staff can refer you to the Wellbeing Support service, which provides confidential support from a team of professional counsellors. This service is available to all students. The team can also help connect you with external organisations and specialist services where appropriate.
You can contact the team by email at wellbeing.ic@uhi.ac.uk.
You can also access independent advice and support from:
- Highlands and Islands Students' Association (HISA) – independent advice and support for students.
- The Sanctuary pastoral service – impartial support and guidance for all students and staff, regardless of their faith or philosophy of life.
External specialist support and resources
External specialist support and resources
- Citizens Advice Scotland or Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau – free, impartial advice.
- Samaritans – available to talk about anything that is troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue. Call 116 123. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Breathing Space – a confidential service that listens and offers information and advice. Call 0800 83 85 87, available evenings and weekends.
- Mikeysline – a local charity offering support and advice on suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
- James Support Group – a local charity offering a 24/7 helpline and support events. Email support@jamessupportgroup.com or call 07563 572471.
- Scottish Government – Hate Crime – information and guidance on hate crime in Scotland.
- Stop Hate UK – a leading organisation working to tackle hate and discrimination, with a free dedicated 24-hour anti-hate crime helpline.
- Victim Support Scotland – information and support for victims and witnesses of crime. Helpline open Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm, on 0800 160 1985.
- True Vision – supports victims and allows witnesses to report hate crimes and incidents online without needing to visit a police station.
- Tell MAMA – supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and is a public service that also measures and monitors anti-Muslim incidents.
Please note: UHI Inverness is not responsible for the content of external websites and may not be aware when external content is changed or removed.