Hate Crimes
In California, you may be the victim of a hate crime if you are targeted because of your race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or if you are targeted because you are associated with a person or group with one or more of these “real” or “perceived” characteristics.
It is important to differentiate between hate crimes and hate incidents.
A hate incident is an action or behavior that is motivated by hate; but is protected by the First Amendment right of freedom of expression. The following are examples of hate incidents: name calling, use of epithets, distribution of hate material (leafletting) in public places, and display of offensive hate-motivated material on one’s own property. The freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, such as the freedom of speech, allow hateful rhetoric as long as it does not interfere with the civil rights of others. If this type of behavior escalates to threats against a person, that activity would be classified as a hate crime.
A hate crime is an actual or attempted criminal act committed against a victim or the property of a victim because the victim is perceived to possess a protected characteristic.
Report a Hate Crime
Hate crimes and hate incidents are underreported. When someone files a report as a victim, witness, or advocate for a victim of a hate crime or a hate incident, we identify areas in need of intervention and prevention resources such as education and protection of the victim’s legal rights. The victim, witness, or advocate for a victim has the option to consent to receive free follow-up and additional support with resources in their community.
If this is an emergency, call 9 1 1. Contact your local Sheriff’s Station or police department, or remain anonymous by calling Los Angeles-Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or by visiting lacrimestoppers.org.
Report a Hate Incident:
- 211 LA County: 211LA.org (English and Spanish)
- Stop AAPI Hate: stopaapihate.org (English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tagalong, Thai, Khmer, Hmong, Hindi, Punjabi)
Victim Advocacy
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles: www.advancingjustice-la.org
- (800) 520-2356 (Mandarin/Cantonese)
- (800) 867-3640 (Korean)
- (855) 300-2552 (Tagolog)
- (800) 914-9583 (Thai)
- (714) 477-2958 (Vietnamese)
Referrals to API Community based and Social Services Orgs:
Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council – www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org
Health and Mental Health Resources
Health Resources:
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture
(no Emergency or Urgent Care)
(Bangladesh, Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese):
www.aphcv.org
Mental Health Resources:
Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center:
www.apct.org
Pacific Asian Counseling Services:
www.pacsla.org