An awareness week over hate crime has launched, with organisations across the borough getting involved.

The Metropolitan Police and Barnet Council are showing people how to report hate crime in a national awareness week, National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Cllr David Longstaff, chairman of the community leadership committee, said: "Tackling the under-reporting of hate crime has been a challenge in Barnet and nationally.

"This makes it difficult to take action to reduce the harm caused by these types of crimes. It is important that residents come forward to report hate crime if they are victim or witness it happening.

"Together, if hate crime incidents are reported, we can prevent it."

In the last 12 months, there has been a rise in all but one area of hate crime across London, with Islamophobic hate crime offences having the highest increase of 21.5 per cent while disability hate crime incidents saw a decrease of 9.4 per cent.

Homophobic hate crime has risen by 5.8 per cent and, as part of the awareness week, officers will be visiting synagogues, mosques, and LGBT venues across the capital to listen to concerns.

More people are reporting hate crimes as well, which may be due to the growing willingness of victims to report it, heightened awareness in identifying the offences or better support services for victims.

Met Police Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer said: "London is such a diverse and tolerant city, but too many still feel marginalised, or worse intimidated to go about their daily lives due to their race, faith, sexual orientation, gender or disability.

"This is an opportunity for officers to continue raising awareness of hate crime and encourage victims to come forward. However we know that all hate crime is under reported which is why we will continue to work hard to gain the trust and confidence of all communities so victims feel they can come forward.

"Our message to all victims is, don’t suffer in silence."

The police has 900 specialist hate crime investigators in all of the 32 borough community safety units and there has also been the appointment of a project coordinator in Barnet Mencap to coordinate activities to encourage people to report hate crimes.

If you would like more information or would like to work with the council to raise awareness about hate crime, contact the Community Safety Team by emailing: CST@Barnet.gov.uk

If you or someone you know is suffering hate crime, or has suffered hate crime in the past, please contact police on 101, through the MOPAC hate crime app or in Hate Crime Reporting Centres throughout the borough, which are staffed by those trained by police and the Barnet Community Safety team.

In an emergency dial 999 or to remain anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.