Reporting Hate With 211 LA County

Reporting is the first step to stop hate. By understanding how and where hate is occurring, our communities can respond with appropriate resources and support, which can include protecting your civil rights, healing from trauma, and taking action to prevent hate from happening to others.

Victims should not suffer in silence. It is critical to report a hate incident, which includes any act of verbal or physical aggression, refusal of service, bullying, or intimidation of any kind that is motivated by hostile prejudice. We cannot do anything to stop hate crimes and incidents unless we know about them.

About 211

211 LA is a hub for community members and community organizations looking for health, human, and social services in Los Angeles County.  

• Their programs provide outreach and education, service navigation, or care coordination to access and obtain services that best meet individual needs, through their free and confidential 24-hour 2-1-1 call line, or through their website. Support is provided in 140 languages.

Why Should You Report Hate?

By filing a report as a victim, witness, or advocate for a victim of hate crimes and hate incidents, you are helping to identify areas in need of intervention and prevention resources. You also have the option to consent to receive free follow-up and additional support with resources in your community.

Confidentiality

Your 211 LA report will not be shared with any law enforcement entities, and you have the option to report anonymously. 211 LA only shares reports with partner agencies providing hate prevention, advocacy, and counseling services - as well as the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations. 

What is a Hate Incident?

A hate incident is a hostile expression or action motivated by bias against another person’s actual or perceived identity(ies), but that does not rise to the level of a crime. Perpetrators may be motivated by different discriminatory biases, including, but not limited to, bias on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender, including gender identity.

Examples of hate incidents include:

• Name-calling

• Insults

• Displaying hate material on your own property.

• Posting hate material that does not result in property damage.

• Distribution of materials with hate messages in public places.

What is a Hate Crime?

A hate crime is a crime against a person, group, or property motivated by the victim’s real or perceived protected social group. The law protects against many classes of hate crimes. The U.S. Constitution allows hate speech as long as it does not interfere with the civil rights of others. If a hate incident starts to threaten a person or property, it may become a hate crime. The law protects against many classes of hate crimes. Possible signs of a hate crime include:

• The criminal chose the victim or property because they belonged to a protected group, like a certain religion or gender. 

• The criminal made written or verbal comments showing prejudice. 

• The crime happened on a date that is important for the victim’s protected group.

What is Hate Violence

California’s Ralph Civil Rights Act protects individuals from hate violence or threats of violence on account of characteristics listed in the box “Who is protected?” These are examples of bias-related crimes that are forbidden by the law:

• Threats, verbal or written

• Physical assault or attempted assault

• Hate-related graffiti, including swastikas and other offensive symbols

• Cross-burning

• Bomb threats

• Arson

• Disturbance of religious meetings

• Vandalism or property damage