How to Report a Hate Crime?
Created by Esther Lim
What is a Hate Crime?
Any crime committed with a bias and prejudice motive and selects victims based on a particular group- race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, gender.
Hate Incidents
Name calling, insults, displaying hate material on your property or public places
If it starts to threaten a person or property, it becomes hate crime
Hate Crimes
Any act or attempted act that constitutes an offense under criminal law such as:
Harassment
Involves injury
Threats/acts of violence
Property damage
Effects of Hate Crimes
Sense of security is lost
Victim, family and friends of victims suffer personal, financial, emotional loss
Divides neighborhoods and communities
Raises fear and suspicion
Lowers openness and cooperation
Directly threatens principles of democracy and equality
Directly attacks our country’s founding principles
People lose confidence in the law
Causes retaliating attacks by the victim groups
Creates more violence and social/ethnic conflict
Why You Need to Not Report a Hate Crime
Do not worry about being a citizen! You have rights!
Do not fear deportation or arrest
Do not be ashamed or in denial. You are not alone in this. There is a whole community that will support you if you speak up.
By reporting hate crimes, you protect yourself and others:
All crime must be reported to control and prevent future incidents
Not reporting hate crimes raises levels of violence
When left unpunished, the rule of the law is challenged
Directly threatens national security
If no crimes are reported = no record = no hate crimes
Prevention Tips
Always let someone know where you’re going
Carry ID
Stay alert of your surroundings
Familiarize yourself with key landmarks (Market, police station, fire department, gas station, restaurant, intersections)
Carry personal alarm or whistle and flashlights
Avoid isolated areas and shortcuts
Do not walk alone especially at night
Walk near curb, facing traffic
Choose busy, well lit streets
Look confident and purposeful in your walk
Do not display any cash, credit card or jewelry
When taking public transportation
Check bus/train schedule
Do not wait alone at a stop
Know where you are going and how to get back
Sit near bus driver
If harassed, report to driver immediately
When Facing an Attack
Walk away ASAP or take the next exit and get out of the situation
Do not get triggered to participate in a verbal argument because it will escalate the situation
Engage bystanders Tell them what is going on and ask them for help
Take out your phone and start taking pictures or a video of the perpetrator if safe
Call 9-1-1 if someone is physically injured or threatened
Scream ‘HELP’ or ‘FIRE’ or blow personal alarm/whistle
If you are physically attacked: Protect your body and defend yourself by whatever means necessary. Act like a crazy person because they will freak out and let you go
Document with your phone or ask someone to document the attacker: Full body and profile picture; License plate, car, model; Scene of incident
OBSERVE as much as you can: Skin color; Facial hair (beard, mustache); Eyes (color, glasses?); Hair style/color (side part, long, short); Height; Clothing; Behavior; Voice; Age; Tattoo; Scars; Jewelry; Weight
To find out how you can order copies or help make a financial contribution to distribute more books, go to www.hatecrimebook.com.
Esther is a proud 2nd generation Korean-American who created booklets on How to Report a Hate Crime in 10 different languages for the LA and Orange County, New York City, Greater Bay, Saint Louis, Illinois, and Maine regions. She has printed and distributed over 93,000 physical copies of the booklets and is continuing to expand to more regions and languages.
Her sole purpose of creating books on how to report a hate crime was to provide equity and break the concept of having a language barrier just to gain knowledge of resources that were already out there.
She believes there are different aspects in everyone’s lives where we see inequity and even in a small way, we can do something about it.
