As your Police and Crime Commissioner, Hate Crime Awareness Week is an opportunity to reflect on the impact that hate crime has on people across Gloucestershire.

This annual initiative always reaffirms my commitment to challenge it wherever it occurs. And for the record, this is not about suppressing free speech, but about challenging genuine hate crimes that can often be the precursor to physical attacks and serious violence.

For some, hate crime happens in their community, workplace or, now more often than not, online. The vitriol I come across on social media is shocking.

But for others, it happens while they are serving and protecting the public.

Recently, my Office spoke to one of our police officers, Hannah, about her experience as a victim of hate crime while on duty. Hannah is a proud Muslim woman of Indian heritage, who wears a headscarf and who joined policing wanting to help change perceptions and improve trust in policing.

Since working on frontline response policing, she has been subjected to hate crime on a regular basis.

“My first two weeks back on response, I was a victim of hate crime three times. It seems to come in waves, but it happens quite frequently.”

What struck me most was the difficult position this places officers in. Hannah is there to help people, yet can suddenly find herself becoming the victim of a crime.

“It makes me really frustrated because I can’t do my job for that reason. It feels like the suspect has won. They’ve stopped me from doing what I’m there to do.”

Despite this, Hannah spoke warmly about the support she receives from colleagues who step in, check on her welfare and ensure she is not facing that abuse alone.

“My team is my biggest support network. We talk about it, support each other and help each other move on.”

Hannah also had a clear message for anyone experiencing hate crime, report it, so you can be supported.

Hate crime impacts victims in many ways, not just emotionally, but practically and professionally in Hannah’s case.

This Hate Crime Awareness Week, I want to thank Hannah for sharing her experience with members of my team and encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses hate crime to report it. Nobody should face abuse because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.

As Hannah put it: “I’m the same as every other officer. I’m there to help you. Just be nice to me.”

You can report hate crime directly to the police online via Gloucestershire Constabulary’s website.

Click the ‘report’ button, then click hate crime.