Barriers to reporting hate crime/Rhwystrau rhag adrodd troseddau casineb 2022

Fforwm Eiriolaeth Profiad Bywyd Lived Experience Advocacy Forum

Rhwystrau rhag adrodd

Troseddau Casineb

Barriers to reporting hate crime

Cafodd LEAF (Fforwm

Eiriolaeth Profiad Bywyd) ei

sefydlu gan Cymorth i

Ddioddefwyr yn gynharach

eleni o ganlyniad i arian gan

Lywodraeth Cymru i gynnal

Canolfan Cymorth Casineb

Cymru. Mae’n cydnabod

pwysigrwydd dysgu o brofiad

bywyd pobl i helpu i siapio a datblygu’r gwasanaeth

Troseddau Casineb

cenedlaethol.

Mae LEAF yn cynnwys grŵp gwirfoddol

craidd wedi’i gefnogi gan gymuned

ehangach o wirfoddolwyr, hefyd gyda

phrofiad bywyd, sy’n helpu i lywio’r

drafodaeth a’n galluogi ni i gael ystod

mor eang â phosib o brofiad a barn.

Fel sefydliad, mae Cymorth i

Ddioddefwyr yn awyddus iawn i

flaenoriaethu llais y rhai hynny yr

effeithiwyd arnynt. Nod craidd y

Fforwm yw helpu i siapio datblygiad

Canolfan Cymorth Casineb Cymru drwy

ddarparu arweiniad drwy brofiad pobl

o gasineb a’i effaith, a chefnogi sdatblygu, rhannu gwybodaeth,

dysgu a thwf y Ganolfan Gymorth ac aelodau’r grŵp.

Mae’r grŵp craidd eisoes wedi nodi’r materion allweddol sydd, yn eu barn nhw, angen eu harchwilio ymhellach yn seiliedig ar eu profiadau ar y cyd o gael eu targedu a phrofi Troseddau Casineb.

Serch hynny, maen nhw wedi

penderfynu y dylid blaenoriaethu

archwilio’r rhwystrau rhag adrodd

Troseddau Casineb, oherwydd mae’n ymddangos bod hyn yn hanfodol i geisio gwella gwasanaethau a chanlyniadau.

Dyfarnwyd grant gan y Comisiwn

Cydraddoldeb a Hawliau Dynol i Ganolfan Astudiaethau Casineb

Prifysgol Caerlŷr i arwain prosiect sy’n mynd i’r afael â throseddau casineb

homoffobig, trawsffobig a deuffobig yng Nghaerlŷr a Swydd Gaerlŷr. Er bod y darn hwn o waith wedi’i anelu’n uniongyrchol at fynd i’r afael â’r broblem o dan-adrodd ymysg

dioddefwyr LHDT o droseddau casineb

o fewn Swydd Gaerlŷr, dangosodd ein

canlyniadau o ran rhwystrau yng

Nghymru ar draws yr holl nodweddion

gwarchodedig batrwm tebyg iawn

https://le.ac.uk/hate-

studies/research/identifying-barriersand-solutions-to-under-reporting

Lived Experience Advocacy Forum

LEAF (Lived Experience Advocacy Forum) was established by Victim Support earlier this year as a result of Welsh Government’s funding to Victim Support to run the Wales Hate Support Centre. It recognises the importance of learning from peoples’ lived experience to help shape & develop the national Hate Crime service.

LEAF consists of a core voluntary group supplemented by a wider community of volunteers, also with lived experience, who help inform the discussion and allow us to capture as wide an input of experience & opinion as possible.

sharing, learning and growth of both the Support Centre & members of the group

The core group has already identified key issues which they feel need exploring further based on their collective experiences of being targeted and subjected to Hate Crime. They however decided that priority should be given to exploring barriers to reporting Hate Crime as this seems fundamental to trying to improve services & outcomes.

The Centre for Hate Studies at University of Leicester was awarded a grant from the Equality and Human Rights Commission to lead a project that tackles homophobic, transphobic and biphobic hate crime in Leicester and Leicestershire. Whilst this piece of work was directly aimed at addressing the problem of under reporting

As an organisation Victim Support is really keen for the voice of those who have been impacted to be heard first & foremost. The core aim of the Forum is to help shape the development of the Wales Hate Support Centre by providing a steer through lived experience of hate and its impact, and support the development, knowledge

amongst LGBT victims of hate crime within Leicestershire our findings around barriers within Wales across all protected characteristics showed a very similar pattern

https://le.ac.uk/hatestudies/research/identifying-barriersand-solutions-to-under-reporting

Mae dioddefwyr a gefnogir gan

Ganolfan Cymorth Casineb Cymru yn

cyfeirio at y rhwystrau hyn yn

rheolaidd, ond roedd y Fforwm o’r farn ei bod hi’n bwysig tynnu sylw at y materion allweddol fel y gall gwasanaethau perthnasol gydnabod a mynd i’r afael â’r rhain wrth symud ymlaen.

Yn gynnar iawn yn y drafodaeth, roedd hi’n amlwg bod rhwystrau sylweddol yn

bresennol nid yn unig yn syth ar ôl achos ond hefyd am sbel wedi hynny, wrth i ddioddefwyr ei chael hi’n anodd adfer a chael cymorth priodol.

Gan fod sawl asiantaeth wahanol bosib yn cefnogi dioddefwyr, gan gynnwys yr heddlu, asiantau tai a chynghorau yn

ogystal â sefydliadau arbenigol

annibynnol eraill fel Cymorth i Ddioddefwyr, teimlwyd ei bod yr un mor bwysig i’r rhwystrau hyn gael eu nodi ond hefyd y dylid cyfeirio at adegau allweddol yn yr ymchwiliad/proses gymorth lle maen nhw amlycaf.

Nodwyd rhwystrau yn ystod yr adegau allweddol hyn:

Cyn cyflwyno adroddiad

cychwynnol h.y. mae achos wedi digwydd – pa rwystrau all stopio’r dioddefwr rhag adrodd i’r asiantaeth berthnasol a gofyn i gychwyn ymchwiliad?

Yn ystod ymchwiliad h.y. mae adroddiad cychwynnol wedi’i gyflwyno – pa rwystrau all y dioddefwr eu hwynebu a all ei atal rhag parhau i geisio gwneud iawn am yr hyn a ddigwyddodd?

Ar ôl yr ymchwiliad h.y. mae’r ymchwiliad wedi’i gwblhau gan yr asiantaeth berthnasol – beth yw canfyddiad y dioddefwr a sut bydd hyn yn trosi i deimlad o ddatrysiad neu hyder yn y broses?

These barriers are regularly referenced by victims who are being supported by the Wales Hate Support Centre but the Forum felt that it was important to highlight key issues so that these, moving forward, can be better acknowledged & addressed by relevant services.

Very early on in discussion it was apparent that there are significant barriers in place not only immediately following an incident but also in the aftermath, when victims are struggling to recover & receive appropriate support.

As there are potentially many different agencies supporting victims, including police, housing agencies and councils as well as other independent specialist organisations such as Victim Support it was similarly felt important that these barriers should not only be identified but also that reference be made to key moments within an investigation/support where they are felt to be most prevalent.

Barriers were identified during these key times:

Before an initial report is made i.e. an incident has occurred – what barriers will potentially stop the victim from reporting to the relevant agency & requesting an investigation commence?

During an investigation i.e. an initial report has been made –what barriers will the victim potentially face which may preclude them from continuing to pursue reparation?

After the investigation i.e. the investigation has been completed by the relevant agency – what is the perception of the victim & how will this translate to a feeling of resolution or confidence in the process?

Canlyniadau’r Arolwg

CYN: Prif Rwystrau

25% Profiad blaenorol gwael

“yn aml... ei israddio i anghydfod rhwng cymdogion neu Ymddygiad Gwrth-Gymdeithasol fel petai’n fân annifyrrwch neu anghytuno pan fo’n bywydau wedi’u troi wyneb i waered a’u rheoli gan y cyflawnwyr”

25% Ddim yn gwybod am ddewisiadau adrodd/gwasanaethau cymorth’

"wedi adrodd achos...ond ni ddaeth unrhyw beth ohono"

25% Ddim yn fy nghredu’

12.5% Y mater ddim yn cael ei gymryd o ddifrif’

“Mae rhai ymddygiadau yr ydym ni’n eu hadrodd yn swnio’n

ddiniwed wrth i ni geisio eu hesbonio. Mae’n anodd iawn

esbonio bod rhai patrymau ymddygiad a brofir dros gyfnodau hir o amser yn cynyddu sensitifrwydd rhywun iddyn nhw”

12.5% Pryder am ôl-effeithiau/gwneud y sefyllfa’n waeth

Survey Results

BEFORE: Top Barriers

25% Poor previous experience

“often…downgrade it to a neighbour dispute or Anti-Social Behaviour as though it's a minor annoyance or a disagreement when we're having our whole lives turned upside-down and controlled by the perpetrators.”

25% Not knowing about other reporting options/support services

"reported incident...but nothing came of it"

25% Not being believed

12.5% Issue not being taken seriously

“Some behaviours that we report sound like they are harmless when we try to explain them. It’s very hard to explain that certain patterns of behaviour that are experienced over long periods increasingly build ones sensitivity to them”

12.5% Concern about repurcussions / making the situation worse

Canlyniadau’r Arolwg

DURING: Top Barriers

27.5% Y mater ddim yn cael ei gymryd o ddifrif/diffyg dealltwriaeth o’r effaith’

"Mae rhai asiantaethau wir yn deall effaith yr ymddygiad atgas yr ydym yn ei brofi, ond mae eraill nad ydyn nhw’n deall...rydym ni wedi cael cyngor gwrthgyferbyniol gydag un yn llwyr ddeall ac un arall yn dweud y dylem ni ‘godi uwchlaw’r mater"

14.5%

Rhagfarn ddiarwybod a stigma’

“Mae’r heddlu yn aml yn troi’r sefyllfa o gwmp arnoch chi”

14.5%

Oedi mewn ymatebion/ cyfathrebu’

14.5%

Drwgdybiaeth

“Methodd pob siec a balans a does dim un diwrnod sy’n mynd heibio lle dydw i ddim yn dymuno na chefais fy ngeni.”

14.5% Diffyg ymwybyddiaeth o wasanaethau cymorth’

14.5%

Diffyg ymwybyddiaeth o’ch hawliau’

Survey Results

DURING: Top Barriers

27.5% Issue not being taken seriously / lack of understanding of the impact

“We’ve had some agencies that really do understand the impact of the hateful behaviour we are experiencing, and others that don’t…we have had contradictory advice with one totally understanding and another saying we should just ‘rise above it’

14.5%

Unconscious bias & stigma

“The police often turn the situation around on

14.5%

Delays in responses / communication

14.5%

Mistrust

“Every check and balance failed and not a day goes by when I do not wish I hadn’t been born.”

14.5%

Lack of awareness of support services

14.5%

Lack of awarenessof your rights

Canlyniadau’r Arolwg

Ar ôl: Prif Rwystrau

87.5% Teimlo fel bod y gwasanaethau yn gwneud esgus i gael gwared ohonoch’

"Mae’n rhaid i mi brofi fy niniweidrwydd pan wyf yn cael fy adrodd yn faleisus, ond does dim ôl-effeithiau ar gyfer y cyflawnwr(cyflawnwyr) ac mae’n llythrennol yn hwerthin arnaf"

"roedd fel petai wedi digwydd, nawr cariwch ymlaen, er bod yr Heddlu wedi cyfaddef eu bod wedi gwneud camgymeriad ond ni wnaethon nhw gynnig unrhyw gymorth wrth roi gwybod i mi sut i symud ymlaen.... Felly, cawsom ein gadael ar gyfeiliorn"

"Nid yw’n deimlad braf gwybod nad yw fy nghymydog wedi’i gosbi am wneud yr hyn a wnaeth, a ninnau’n cael ein gweld fel y bobl ddrwg gan weddill y cymdogion yn y pen draw oherwydd y celwyddon y dywedodd fy nghymydog wrthyn nhw amdanom ni. Felly nawr does neb yn siarad gyda ni, ond rydw i’n dal i sefyll yn falch gan fy mod yn gwybod y gwir. Cywilydd arnyn nhw"

12.5%

Drwgdybiaeth

"Mae’r system wedi torri’n llwyr a does neb yn malio dim...rydw i’n dymuno y gallwn eistedd mewn ystafell a dweud wrthyn nhw am effeithiau eu gweithredoedd a nhwythau’n ateb fy nghwestiynau"

Survey Results

AFTER: Top Barriers

87.5% Feeling fobbed off

“I am left to prove my innocence when I'm maliciously reported but the perpetrator(s) have no repercussions at all and literally laugh at me”

“it was as if its happened now get on with it even though the Police admitted they had got it wrong but they were of no help in telling me how to move forward….. So we were left adrift”

“It is not a nice feeling to know my neighbour got away with doing what they did and we ended up being the bad guys in the eyes of the rest of my neighbours through the lies my neighbour told them about us. So now no one talks to us but I hold my head high as I know the truth. Shame on them.”

12.5%

Mistrust

“The system is completely broken and no one cares…I wish I could sit in a room and tell them the effects of their actions and have them answer my questions.”

Fel sefydliad, mae Cymorth i Ddioddefwyr yn cydnabod nad yw pob dioddefwr trosedd gasineb yn cael yr un profiad.

Serch hynny, rydym ni’n clywed profiadau tebyg iawn i lawer o’r datganiadau uchod yn ystod ein gwaith yn cefnogi dioddefwyr.

Roedd y Fforwm yn awyddus i rannu eu profiadau byw gyda chymunedau ac asiantaethau ar draws Cymru i helpu i siapio gwasanaethau i gefnogi dioddefwyr troseddau casineb yn well.

...mae hyn yn dangos diystyrwch llwyr i’r effaith a gafodd y drosedd hon arnaf fi a’r rhai hynny o’m cwmpas. Bu’n rhaid i mi gymryd meddyginiaeth a des i’n agoraffobig gan dreulio bron i flwyddyn yn byw yn fy ystafell wely. Dioddefais o byliau o banig a gorbryder, yn ofni beth oedd ar y gweill; oherwydd, eto, roedd cyfathrebu drwy’r heddlu yn wan. Mae’n gwbl amlwg y cafodd hyn effaith ganlyniadol ar fy nheulu (partner a mab).

“

...Rydw i’n ddiolchgar iawn am y cymorth gan y tîm troseddau casineb a wnaeth fy ysgogi yn aml i beidio â byw mewn ofn, gan eu bod yn hoffi eich atgoffa na ddylech chi deimlo cywilydd nac euogrwydd am fod yn ddioddefwr, yn enwedig un sy’n dewis sefyll i fyny dros ei hun. Rhoddwyd llawer o gyngor i’m helpu drwy’r diffyg cyfathrebu gan yr heddlu, felly rydw i’n ddiolchgar iawn, iawn am y gwasanaeth yma.”

Os ydych chi, neu rywun rydych chi’n ei adnabod, wedi’ch effeithio gan gynnwys yr erthygl hon, cysylltwch â Chanolfan Cymorth Troseddau Casineb Cymru drwy ffonio

0300 303 1982 neu anfonwch e-bost atom ni drwy

hate.crimewales@victimsupport.org.uk

Fel arall, ewch i’n gwefan www.reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk

“

As an organisation Victim Support acknowledges that not every victim of hate crime has the same experience.

We do however hear very similar experiences to many of the above during our work supporting victims.

The Forum were keen to share their lived experiences with communities and agencies across Wales to help shape services to better support victims of hate crime.

…this shows a total disregard to the impact of this crime had on me and those around me , I had to medicate and became agoraphobic spending the best part of a year living in my bedroom have suffered panic attacks and high anxiety, terrified of what was to come; as again communication via police was lax. It goes without saying that this had a knock on effect to my family (partner and son).

…I am very grateful for the help and support from the hate crime team who quite often picked me up from living in absolute fear, as they like to remind you there should be no shame or guilt in being a victim, especially one that chooses to stand up for themselves, and there was a lot of advice given to help me through the lack of communication from the police, so I am very, very grateful for this service.”

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the content of this article please reach out to the Wales Hate Support Centre by calling 0300 303 1982 or email us at hate.crimewales@victimsupport.org.uk

#CymruYnghyd #WalesTogether