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Prejudice victims yesterday backed the launch of a new campaign urging people to report hate crimes.

The joint Police Scotland and Scottish Government drive features mock letters from Scotland addressed “Dear Haters”, telling them the country has “had enough”.

Other images are addressed to transphobes, homophobes, disablists, bigots and racists.

With the slogan “Hate Crime. Report it to stop it”, the campaign aims to encourage reporting of the crimes.

More than 5300 hate crimes were reported to the Crown Office last year but Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said many more go unreported.

(Image: DAILY RECORD)

A poll earlier this month of 1000 adults revealed more than 80 per cent would tell police about an elderly woman being mugged or a house in their street being broken into but only 43 per cent would report online religious bullying.

The survey found 54 per cent would report intimidating or humiliating behaviour towards a transgender person, while 53 per cent would contact police over racial abuse.

Victim Henrietta Mochrie joined Yousaf, Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell and senior police officers at the launch in Edinburgh.

Yousaf said: “As somebody who has faced Islamaphobic and racial abuse over the years, I know how upsetting being a victim of hate can be.

“Hate crime and prejudice are completely unacceptable and we are absolutely committed to tackling it.”

(Image: Tony Marsh)

Henrietta Mochrie's story

Henrietta has been taunted about her appearance and says she’s had to face regular verbal abuse because she’s transgender.

The 23-year-old, from Stirling, was frightened when two men shouted and followed her and now she’d urge people to report hate crimes.

When she came out as transgender three years ago while at university, a close friend turned against her and her family struggled to accept the news.

Since then she’s regularly faced abuse from strangers.

“I’ve suffered a lot of street harassment with people shouting and laughing at me which makes me feel really paranoid,” she added.

“About six months ago, someone asked me for a cigarette and when I said I didn’t have one he asked if I was a lad or a lassie. I said I was a woman but then he said, ‘Oh no it’s a tranny’ and started shouting abuse. He kept following me down the street with another man and they shouted at me.

“I got to a local shopping centre and hid in the toilets for 10 to 15 minutes in tears. It was absolutely horrible. I didn’t report it at the time but if it happened to me now I would report it. I’ve been out clubbing in town and when I left a club a guy asked me when the bus was due.

"When I answered, he started laughing. When I asked why he was laughing he started getting aggressive.

“One time in a pub I went to use the ladies’ toilets as I usually do and a woman told me I was in the wrong place.

“I said, ‘No I’m a woman’ and she started getting really aggressive towards me and turfed me out the toilets. I talked to the bouncer and he agreed that shouldn’t happen and he spoke to the woman.

“Being backed up made me feel stronger. I’ve also had support from Central Scotland Regional Equality Council who take it all seriously.”

A muslim teacher suffered depression after pupils accused her of being a terrorist.

Shazia – not her real name – amost gave up her career because of Islamophobic abuse.

But the supply teacher was heartened after police took her complaints seriously.

She said: “We shouldn’t have to tolerate this abuse – it’s not acceptable.”

Shazia's story

Mum-of-three Shazia, 33, said the abuse has worsened every time there’s been a terrorist attack in the news.

She added: “In 2015 after the attacks in Paris I had children in the classroom questioning me and asking if all muslims are terrorists and was I a terrorist.

“They’d say ‘Allahu Akbar’ behind my back. They were boys around 12 to 14 years old.

“That time I wasn’t supported by my school or council and I felt quite isolated.”

In another school, a boy wrote in his jotter: “Mr Trump will bomb you and kill you” and “Bin Laden is your dad”.

Shazia said: “That had a significant impact on me. I had a massive anxiety attack and burst into tears when I got to the staff room.”

She even stopped using public transport as she didn’t feel safe after someone made a rude gesture to her on a train.

But she back working with support from Central Scotland Regional Equality Council.

She added: “I feel more empowered that I can report it if someone says something wrong.”