What to do if you have been the victim of a hate crime
In the aftermath of a hate crime, victims and survivors will likely have questions about hate crime laws, the criminal-legal process, status questions about a case, what victim services may be available to them, and more. This resource hub identifies sources of support that are connected to law enforcement as well as ones that are not.
If you have a resource you would like to see included in this resource hub or have identified a broken link, please email [email protected].
Federal
Under federal law, a hate crime is a crime motivated in whole or in part by a perpetrator’s bias against a victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.
Federal hate crime laws include the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (18 U.S.C. § 249), the Church Arson Prevention Act (18 U.S.C § 247), Violent Interference with Federally Protected Rights (18 U.S.C. § 245), and more.
Resources
Hate Crime Task Force Organizations
- Act to Change
- American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
- Arab American Institute
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network
- Bend the Arc
- Interfaith Alliance
- Japanese American Citizens League
- Jewish Council for Public Affairs
- League of United Latin American Citizens
- Matthew Shepard Foundation
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- National Disability Rights Network
- National Urban League
- Not in Our Town
- Public Justice
- Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
- T’ruah