THE independent charity Crimestoppers is this week urging residents to report incidents of hate crime.

Hate crime is thought to be massively underreported, which is why the organisation is urging the public to come forward.

Many people accept some incidents as “part of life” and do not realise that the abuse they are suffering or witnessing is a crime.

They may also mistakenly believe that nothing will be done about it.

Incidents can be motivated by race, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

And victims may be subjected to physical assaults or suffer damage to their property.

They may also experience the threat of an attack or verbal abuse.Over the period of May to September 2017 compared to December to April 2017, Crimestoppers experienced an 88 per cent increase in calls and contacts relating to hate crime in Scotland.

Those calls included and 50 per cent increase in information on Islamophobia and 40 per cent increase in information on racism.

Angela Parker, national manager for the charity Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “Together we can help to ensure Scotland is a tolerant nation for all. Hate crime has a terrible impact on victims. It is totally unacceptable to attack or threaten someone because they identify as a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, or have a disability.

“We understand it’s not easy to step up and report someone, especially if they’re a close friend or family member, but we do not take personal details and we can’t trace information given to us. Nobody will ever know you contacted us.”