Reporting Anti-Social Behaviour: A Complete Guide
Antisocial behaviour affects everyone in a community and spreads fear, intimidation and feelings of isolation. As a community problem, it requires a community solution. Fighting a threat is significantly more effective when people come together, instead of fighting it alone.
As such, it’s important to know where the support is in your community in case you have information on a crime and want to pass it on to the authorities. Read on for our guide on what anti-social behaviour is and how to report it.
A brief introduction to anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour occurs when a person or group of people target a specific individual or community. There are three main types – personal, nuisance and environmental.
- Personal – when violent or intimidating behaviour is focused on one specific person, isolating them from others in their community.
- Nuisance – for example, underage drinking, rowdy music and joyriding.
- Environmental – fly-tipping and dumping rubbish can spread hazardous materials in the locality, as well as create an undesirable area for community members.
When reporting anti-social behaviour, you’ll probably want to know whether your incident fits the bill. To make things clearer, here are a few examples…
Excessive noise
- Any loud music, barking dogs, swearing or shouting is classed as excessive noise. You can also report things like building work being disruptive or carried out during anti-social hours.
Harassment
- Vandalism of your house or property
- Using social media to abuse and stalk someone
Bullying and Intimidation
Behaviour that’s intended to scare victims, leaving them feeling anxious and alone. Usually carried out in groups to increase intimidation.
Trespassing
- People taking shortcuts through your garden, or groups of young people hanging around and being rowdy.
2 ways of reporting anti-social behaviour
1. The Bermuda Police Force
With a mission statement of ‘Making Bermuda Safer’, Bermuda’s Police Force works to provide a better and more secure environment for the island’s citizens. Focusing its efforts on communities, it interacts with neighbourhoods to foster trust and understanding. The Police Force’s goal is to enable people to feel they can report crimes and go to the authorities for help when needed.
Working alongside Crime Stoppers Bermuda, the police in Bermuda hope to see increased communication with the public. As they work through joint initiatives, the aim is that more people will feel confident in reporting anti-social behaviour. Concerned islanders can call either the main police line on 1 (441) 295-0011 or 911 for emergencies.
2. Crime Stoppers Bermuda
Many people want to help improve community safety, but they may not be able to because of uncertainty or fear. The confidential and anonymous reporting process provided by Crime Stoppers Bermuda offers a safe way to voice your concerns without worrying about any consequences.
You can report crime by calling the confidential line on 800-8477 or filling in the anonymous online form if you prefer. You can be assured that you won’t be asked for any personal details and calls will not be recorded or traced. Crime Stoppers’ main objective is to catch criminals, so your information will only be passed onto the appropriate people.
