KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: RESPONDING TO HATE CRIMES
- A hate crime is an incident directed against a person or property that is motivated in whole or in part by the victim’s race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, and in some cases, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Such an incident can include physical violence, verbal attacks, and attacks on property.
- If you witness someone being subjected to verbal harassment do not confront the perpetrator. Instead, engage the victim in conversation and ignore the perpetrator. Discuss a random subject with the victim and create a safe space until the perpetrator leaves. Escort the victim to a safe place if necessary.
- What to do after a hate crime or hate incident:
- If you are being attacked or feel threatened, call 911 immediately.
- Seek medical and mental health care. Keep documents related to any treatment you receive.
- Document the incident. Write down what happened, language used, and if appropriate take pictures.
- To have the incident addressed, and to ensure others are not subjected to further harassment, report it to CAIR.
- If you are in a non-urgent situation, and have concerns about your immigration status, please reach out to an immigration attorney for advice on how reporting may involve your immigration case.
