What to Do If You’ve Been The Victim of a Hate Crime
Below are some steps you can take if you have been a victim of a hate crime.
- Get medical help, if necessary.
- Write down any and all of the details of the crime as soon as possible after the incident. Include the perpetrator[s] gender, age, height, race, weight, clothes and other distinguishing characteristics. If any threats or biased comments were made (such as anti-gay epithets), include them in the report.
-
File reports.
-
File a police report
- Get the responding officer’s name and badge number
- Make sure the officer files an incident report form and assigns a case number. If a police report is not taken at the time of your report, go to the police station and ask for one. Always get your own copy, even of the preliminary report.
- If you believe the incident was bias-motivated, urge the officer to check the “hate/bias-motivation” or “hate crime/incident” box on the police report.
- File a report with the FBI
- Notify your local LGBT community organization about the incident
-
File a police report
-
Find support.
- Friends and family
- Get professional help – from a LGBT affirmative therapist
- Contact anti-violence support service – such as the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
