Uniting Staffordshire Against Hate
Who are We?
Uniting Staffordshire Against Hate (USAH) is a free and confidential support service providing information and emotional and practical support to all victims of Hate driven crime or incidents, who either live in Staffordshire or were targeted when visiting the area on more than two occasions.
To access support you do not need to have reported this to the police.
What is hate crime?
A hate crime is when someone believes that a crime has been committed against them or their property because of either their, Race, Religion, Disability, Sexual orientation or Transgender identity.
A Hate Incident is where the motivation is the same as a crime but where no crime is committed.
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What do we offer?
Our aim is to help you to recover from your experience and from any harm caused to you as a result. We can support you:
- To report the crime to the Police if you wish to
- By liaising with the Police and other key agencies on your behalf
- To exercise your rights as a victim as determined by the Victims Code of Practice
- To access Restorative Justice
- To address any financial, emotional or practical issues you may have as a result of what has happened
- To understand what will happen if your case goes to court and to support you through this including attending court with you
What happens when you contact USAH?
When you contact us, a member of our team will listen and talk with you about your experience, so we can understand how it has affected you and what help you may need. We will assess your support needs and provide you with advice or information to answer any immediate questions you may have. We can also allocate a Victim Care Coordinator to you if needed, who will provide you with face-to-face practical and emotional support through this difficult time.
Information on your rights is also available on the Victim Rights page.
Contacting Us
If you report a crime to Staffordshire Police, they will ask you if you are happy for your details to be passed on to USAH. We will automatically receive your contact information and a brief overview of your experience and the crime, if you don’t specify to Staffordshire Police that you don’t want us to make contact with you. If you initially opted out of the service, you can self-refer at any time.
We can provide you with advice, information & emotional and practical support. We can liaise and advocate on your behalf, and introduce and support you to specialist services, who can help you gain the relevant support that can help in your recovery. We will be with you every step of the way. Our support is free and confidential, regardless of whether you have reported a crime or incident to the police, we are here to support you.
Crime Prevention Information
Additionally, it may also be useful for you to have advice on crime prevention that may help you to protect yourself in the future. You can find lots of useful information on local crime prevention by clicking here: