VICTIMS of hate crime have been told they shouldn't hold back in reporting their concerns to the police.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Cutland spoke out as National Hate Crime Awareness Week began on Sunday.
She said: "This is a horrible crime that can cause deep distress and fear. I want to assure anyone who becomes a target that they will be taken seriously by the police, and that there is help available.
"Both the police and victim support services understand how damaging hate crime can be."
A county-wide group is to be set up to look at what support is being offered for victims of crime.
She added: "We want to see equitable services across the city and county. We are also working with the force to tackle the problem and increase confidence in reporting.
"This is not purely a police issue but one that is most successfully handled with the help of other services and agencies across Nottinghamshire."
Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire Police is tweeting statistics about hate crime throughout the week to raise awareness of the problem.
