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Green Party activists are set to descend on the Home Office on Thursday, demanding that misogyny is categorised as a hate crime.

Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the law to be changed to include misogyny and violence against women in the list of hate crime offences.

And members of the party are now planning to march on the Government building and deliver the petition in person.

Currently the Crown Prosecution Service considers five types of hate crime: religious and racist, disability, homophobic, biophobic and transphobic.

But the Greens want the law to be changed so that the offence covers crimes against women clearly motivated by their gender.

On the petition, signed by more than 5,000 people, the party said: “Misogyny motivates violence against women, but the Home Office doesn’t call it a hate crime.

“When police in Nottingham started recording misogyny as a hate crime, an incident was reported to police every three days.

“When we take these crimes seriously, women are empowered to speak out. Let’s stop sweeping misogyny under the carpet. Let’s call it a hate crime.”

They are calling on activists to join them in delivering the notice ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women this weekend.

Amelia Womack, Green Party deputy leader, announced the policy in a speech to the party’s autumn conference in October.

Ms Womack, who was herself a victim of domestic violence in her early twenties, said: “The Home Office does not record hate crimes according to gender and to me that’s a powerful symbol of the way misogyny is treated in this country: sidelined, ignored, brushed under the carpet.

“That’s why today I’m announcing that the Green Party is calling for violence against women that is clearly motivated by their gender to be considered a hate crime. From domestic abuse to rape, groping to stalking and harassment, we know that women suffer abuse because of their gender.

“Earlier this year I spoke publicly for the first time about my experience of being in an abusive relationship. It wasn’t easy and it’s still not easy to talk about, but reclaiming that dark time in my life was empowering for me. And I want to empower other women who feel trapped by their experiences.

“Grassroots organisations and charities do amazing work to support survivors but their job is made harder when the government is running a brutal regime of austerity that punishes the most vulnerable.

"I’m proud to help lead a party that champions gender equality for all. We are calling for the cuts to domestic violence services to be reversed and a comprehensive strategy to tackle domestic violence at its core.”