Witness a hate crime? Here’s how to intervene

Within the first 10 days after the presidential election, 867 reports of hate incidents in the United States were collected by the Southern Poverty Law Center, including 368 such incidents Nov. 9 and 10 combined. Meanwhile, recently released FBI data show there were 5,850 hate crime incidents in 2015, up 6.8 percent from 5,479 in 2014.

Experts say both figures could, in actuality, be even higher because hate crimes often go unreported.

“Hate crimes are significantly underreported, especially in already marginalized and fearful communities,” says Betsy Shuman-Moore, director of Fair Housing and Hate Crimes Projects with the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Victims may face a language barrier and lack knowledge about the law; they may be skeptical and distrustful of the response of the criminal justice system and the courts; and, especially, undocumented immigrants may not want to risk their status.”

Incidents of hate aren’t just becoming more frequent; they’re also becoming increasingly public, thanks to cellphone cameras. Videos have captured harassment and intimidation in everyday venues, ranging from craft stores to airplanes.

So what should you do if you come across someone who is being victimized?

Brooks recommends first making eye contact with the person who is being harassed and then publicly showing support by engaging the person in conversation. Do not acknowledge the harasser.

“Typically, the person who is doling out the harassment will back down if they think the person has some type of support because they don’t want to get into it with everyone,” Brooks says. “(Harassers) typically try to pick a person out. Once other bystanders see you intervening and supporting, then they will also.”

Shuman-Moore added that not speaking up emboldens perpetrators of hate crimes.

“Bystanders must speak up or risk amplifying the victim’s isolation and condoning the act of hate,” she said.

Speaking up is one thing. Physically intervening, particularly if a violent crime is being committed, is another.

The Illinois State Police advises witnesses to call 911 immediately.

Andrew Weisberg, a Chicago-based criminal defense attorney, says intervening when violence is involved poses its own risks.

To help educate members of the public on what they can do in these situations, Chicago’s Thousand Waves Martial Arts and SelfDefense Center, has been offering free community workshops that specifically focus on bystander intervention. The three-hour classes include training on how to fight back against physical assault, as well as how to de-escalate a situation in which hateful language is involved.