Support for victims of hate crime
Support for victims of hate crime
Author
Introduction
The number of hate crimes recorded by the police has risen year on year, more than doubling over the past decade in England and Wales. The implications of hate crime are far-reaching, often resulting in a decline in physical health, educational achievement and work productivity for those affected. There is currently no service model in the UK that ensures the full needs of the hate crime victim can be met without transferring victims between different service providers.
2021 Award
Gee Walker (CF 2012) is the founder of the Anthony Walker Foundation, which provides education and support services to tackle racism, hate and discrimination in its many forms in Merseyside. Gee founded the charity following the racially-motivated murder of her son Anthony in 2005. In the past year, demand for its services has increased by 141%, with race-related hate crime accounting for 90% of reports.
Gee has been awarded one of our Activate grants to expand the Foundation’s hate crime service model, to incorporate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) practice to support victims of hate crime. She will use her funding to develop this new holistic programme, the first of its kind in the UK, to help victims cope with the negative health effects of racial stress and trauma and rebuild their confidence, without having to be referred to a range of service providers. The programme will comprise eight sessions, which Gee aims to run six times per year, meeting the needs of up to 60 people. She will design the programme in consultation with mental health professionals, the local community and victims of hate crime, and will monitor and evaluate its progress. She hopes to develop a model that can be replicated throughout the UK.
Gee’s Fellowship to Jamaica and the USA explored approaches to developing leadership in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
2021 Award
Gee Walker (CF 2012) is the founder of the Anthony Walker Foundation, which provides education and support services to tackle racism, hate and discrimination in its many forms in Merseyside. Gee founded the charity following the racially-motivated murder of her son Anthony in 2005. In the past year, demand for its services has increased by 141%, with race-related hate crime accounting for 90% of reports.
Gee has been awarded one of our Activate grants to expand the Foundation’s hate crime service model, to incorporate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) practice to support victims of hate crime. She will use her funding to develop this new holistic programme, the first of its kind in the UK, to help victims cope with the negative health effects of racial stress and trauma and rebuild their confidence, without having to be referred to a range of service providers. The programme will comprise eight sessions, which Gee aims to run six times per year, meeting the needs of up to 60 people. She will design the programme in consultation with mental health professionals, the local community and victims of hate crime, and will monitor and evaluate its progress. She hopes to develop a model that can be replicated throughout the UK.
Gee’s Fellowship to Jamaica and the USA explored approaches to developing leadership in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.