Hate Crime in Scotland 2023-24, published today, brings together figures on race crime, and on crime motivated by prejudice related to religion, disability, sexual orientation and transgender identity, reported under legislation which was in force up to 31 March 2024.

The other main findings are

• The majority of hate crime charges reported contain a racial element. However, the proportion that contain a racial element has generally decreased over the last ten years, from 73 per cent in 2014-15 to 57 per cent in 2023-24.
• Sexual orientation aggravated crime is the second most commonly reported type of hate crime. The proportion of hate crime charges containing prejudice that relates to sexual orientation has increased from 16 per cent in 2014-15 to 30 per cent in 2023-24.
• The proportion of hate crime charges that relate to disability has increased from three per cent to 15 per cent over the last ten years, overtaking religious prejudice in 2021-22 to become the third most commonly reported type of hate crime.
• In 2023-24 the proportion of charges containing prejudice relating to religion was nine per cent and to transgender identity was one per cent. These percentages have remained relatively stable over the last ten years.
• In 2023-24 3,392 charges relating to race crime were reported, an increase of 4.6 per cent compared to 2022-23. The 2023-24 total is the highest figure since 2015-16, although it is still 25 per cent lower than the peak in 2011-12, when 4,547 charges were reported.
• The number of charges related to sexual orientation reported in 2023-24 was 1,818, a decrease of 5.7 per cent compared to 2022-23. This is the first year the number of charges reported has decreased since 2014-15 but it is still 12 per cent higher than the number in 2020-21.
• The number of disability aggravated charges was 903 in 2023-24, an increase of 22 per cent compared to 2022-23. This is the highest annual number of charges reported since the legislation creating this aggravation came into force in 2010 and continues an almost unbroken upward trend in the numbers since then.
• There were 523 charges with a religious aggravation reported in 2023-24, 12 per cent fewer than in 2022-23. This is the lowest annual number of charges reported since 2004-05.
• There were 84 charges reported in 2023-24 with an aggravation of transgender identity, compared to 67 in 2022-23. This is the second highest annual number of charges recorded since this legislation came into force, two fewer than the 2021-22 figure of 86.

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, said: “Crimes motivated by intolerance or prejudice must not be allowed to impact Scottish communities. Hate crime has hugely damaging effects on victims, their families, and the wider community.

“As prosecutors, we take very seriously our responsibility to protect victims and members of the public from these hate-fuelled offences.

“Scottish prosecutors are committed to tackling crimes motivated by hatred and prejudice and will continue their work to ensure people can be confident that reports of such offending will be responded to fairly and robustly. Nobody in Scotland should fear being targeted by abuse or violence for who they are.

“The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will play its part in helping to create a safer society in Scotland by resolutely prosecuting such crimes and seeking justice for those who find themselves being victimised through the ignorance or bigotry of others.”