What to Do If You’ve Been The Victim of a Hate Crime

Find steps you can take if you have 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.
    • Friends and family
    • Get professional help – from a LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist
    • Find resources from the FBI
    • Contact anti-violence support service – such as the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

    The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ+ community.

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