Skip to main content
Department of Sociology
Cricket field with views of Durham Cathedral and castle behind

Researchers collaborate on new app to improve support for hate incident victims

9 April 2025
Share page:
The logo for the Hate ID app features three circles and the words Hate ID underneath

Researchers at Durham and Northumbria Universities have helped develop an app to better equip frontline practitioners to identify hate incidents and ensure victims get the right support.

The Hate ID app will help practitioners in the UK Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner region signpost victims of hate incidents to the most appropriate support service.  

Understanding hate relationships 

The researchers analysed redacted reports of hate incidents and interviewed practitioners from the police, housing and health services, among others. 

They explored how they understand hate incidents and what happens when people experiencing hate relationships seek help.   

The term ‘hate relationships’ describes repeated incidents of hate directed at a person and/or their family by the same perpetrators who live nearby. 

These hate relationships can have a profound cumulative impact.  

However, the researchers found that victims are often passed between different organisations, and their complaints can be misunderstood, minimised and therefore go unresolved.    

Timely and tailored support 

The Hate ID app, which is free and available on android phones, asks practitioners a series of questions about the hate incident being reported to them.  

They are then directed to the most appropriate service to ensure that victims are given timely and tailored support.  

The app was developed in partnership with the charity Connected Voice’s Hate Crime Advocacy Service (HCAS).  

It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council Impact Accelerator Fund.  

The research team was led by Professor Catherine Donovan in our Department of Sociology and included Professor Stephen Macdonald also of our Sociology Department and Dr John Clayton of Human Geography at Northumbria University. 

Find out more