Columbia University Health Services

What are bias crimes?

Bias crimes are intimidating or violent acts committed against people because of the group to which they belong or with whom they identify. Bias crimes can also be committed against property or organizations that are affiliated with certain groups. The target of a bias crime is intentionally selected because of a real or perceived identifiable characteristic or circumstance, or because of an affiliation with people with that characteristic or circumstance.

Bias motivated crimes might include but are not limited to incidents based on: race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, gender, socio-economic status/homelessness. 

Some examples of bias crimes are:

• physical or sexual assault
• harassing phone calls or hate mail
• threats of violence
• defacement of property, such as racist graffiti

Common Responses to Experiencing a Bias Crime:

Bias crimes can have both immediate and long-term effects on the victim and the entire community. Being aware of them may help you recognize and deal with the effects of your experience.

It can be helpful to remember that you are a normal person involved in an abnormal circumstance. Although each person will react differently based on their individual experiences, there are many common feelings and reactions to being a survivor of a bias crime.

Emotional

• Fear – for themselves and others, fear of certain groups
• Shock and disbelief
• Denial
• Isolation
• Sadness or Depression
• Feeling overwhelmed          
• Feeling powerless or vulnerable
• Feelings of betrayal and injustice
• Anxiety
• Guilt or self-blame
• Anger/Desire for Revenge
• The feeling of being on an emotional roller coaster

Cognitive

• Replaying the event over and over
• Confusion
• Difficulty remembering things, hard time making decisions
• Flashbacks or intrusive images
• Too many thoughts at once
• Previous beliefs are threatened, such as your neighborhood is safe

Physical

• Fatigue
• Eating/appetite problems   
• Change in sleep habits
• Headaches, stomach problems

 Relational

• A sense of alienation from those around you who don’t seem to understand
• Isolation
• Change of lifestyle   
• Difficulty in trusting others
• False or distorted generalizations about others
• Reevaluation of existing relationships

Because bias crimes do not happen in isolation and are often a byproduct of systemic prejudices, a survivor of bias crimes may feel further traumatized, or experience a “secondary injury,” when they face institutional prejudice or personal bias as they seek help from those around them.

If you have experienced a bias crime:

• If you are injured or hurt in any way, seek medical attention
• If you feel that it is an emergency or you need immediate assistance call 911

Consider reporting the incident

- Reporting an incident can:

• Hold the offender accountable
• Connect you to resources
• Enable the collection of accurate statistics about bias crimes, so that the scope of the problem is better understood

- It can be important to seek advocacy when reporting a bias crime.  An advocate can :

• Explain your rights and provide support
• Talk with you about what to expect from the justice system
• Help you to navigate possible institutional bias

If you choose to report the incident, it is important to document what happened

• Write down everything you remember
• Get the contact information of any witnesses
• Save any evidence, such as medical records or photographs

Supportive strategies for survivors of bias crimes:

Establish a routine

• It may be the same or different as before
• Try to eat regularly and get enough rest

Practice relaxation techniques

• Listen to music, meditate
• Exercise

Talking about your experience can be difficult, but does help

• Try to talk with people you can trust and who will be supportive
• Stay in touch with family and friends
• Seek out others who have had similar experiences, individually or through a support group
• Consider talking with a professional counselor

Offer support to others in conjunction with taking care of yourself

• Participate in special events or community activities that honor survivors of crime
• Become involved in community discussions or political activities that work to fight prejudice and increase community safety

Remember that healing from a traumatic experience takes time and can involve many different stages and feelings.

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