Hate crimes have been spreading in different communities even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we need to know what hate crimes are, and to know how to deal with them. It is our top priority to keep our families and us safe.
What is hate crimes
The Hate Crime Statistics Act defines a hate crime as one that is prompted by “prejudice based on race, gender and gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.”
Hate crimes are Under-reported
We should know that there are less than half (47.6%) of the victims of hate-crime ever report them to the police. Thus, the reported numbers likely represent just a small fraction of the actual number of incidents.
What to do when You Encountered a Hate Crime
- Medical Help
You need to seek immediate medical treatment especially when you got an injury
- Write Down Details
Write down any 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.
- File Report
File a police report. 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 copy, even of the preliminary report.
- Find Support
Find support from friends and family and professionals.
Source:
- https://stopaapihate.org/
- https://www.hrc.org/resources/what-to-do-if-youve-been-the-victim-of-a-hate-crime
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-and-the-surge-in-anti-asian-hate-crimes#Tracking-anti-Asian-hate-crimes-
Citation suggestion: Institute for Asian Crime and Security, IACS (2021): When You Encountered A Hate Crime: How To Deal With It?. figshare. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.15127731.v1
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