by Barbara Smith

With the increase of hate crimes in our communities, California has stepped up in its mission to combat hate with its California vs Hate Resource Line and Network. In its first full year of operation, the statewide reporting hotline for victims of hate incidents and crimes received 1020 reports, according to preliminary data released by the state’s Civil Rights Department (CRD). Officially launched last May by Governor Newsom, CA vs Hate is the state’s first-ever multilingual statewide hotline and online portal that provides a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate acts. Of those 1000+ reports of hate received, roughly 4 in 6 agreed to follow up for care coordination services, including support accessing legal aid or counseling. Nearly 80% of California’s counties were represented, including all 10 of the state’s most populated counties. According to California State Department of Social Services, along with the hotline, funded support and services may include:

• Direct services for victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families, including mental and complementary health services; wellness and community healing; legal services; navigation, case management, and referrals;
• Prevention services, including arts and cultural work, youth development, senior safety and escort programs, safety planning, training; and cross-racial alliance work; and
• Intervention services, including outreach, training, restorative justice, coordination with local government and institutional partners, and coordinated regional rapid response.

A key component of the CA vs Hate hotline is its outreach to communities that typically underreport hate crimes for a variety of reasons including fear of retaliation, lack of culturally competent resources, concern around potential immigration consequences, and distrust of law enforcement.

According to the CRD, CA vs Hate helps address some of these issues by offering people targeted for hate and their communities additional resources to report acts of hate through a community-centered approach that does not require engagement with the criminal legal system. Hotline services are confidential and provided for free, regardless of immigration status. CA vs Hate accepts all reports of hate and is not limited to only receiving reports that are criminal in nature. Whether individuals report to CA vs Hate online or by phone, they are eligible to receive ongoing care coordination to ensure people impacted by hate are able to access resources including legal, financial, mental health, and mediation.

Significantly, among the reports received, the CA vs Hate staff found that race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation were the most cited bias motivations. Anti-Black (26.8%), anti-Latino (15.4%), and anti-Asian (14.3%) bias were the most cited reasons for reports related to race and ethnicity. “We want to have evidence-based policies, which means that if we are hearing from people who are targeted for hate, including the people who have the least reason to trust government, that means we will be meeting the resources gaps that are out there in our communities,” said Becky Monroe, Deputy Director, California Civil Rights Department, who spoke at a recent virtual workshop addressing the importance of reporting hate. “After one year, we were able to connect people with over one hundred different types of resources,” she said. “That tells us people want social services.”

Recognizing our increasingly polarized country, California has led a focused charge in responding through increased grant funding, innovative programs, and expansive outreach efforts across state government and in collaboration with community-based organizations. These partnerships, whether through the Stop the Hate Program or Ethnic Media Outreach Grants, have been and continue to be critical to CA vs Hate’s success. The Precinct Reporter Group, an African American weekly publication based in San Bernardino with outreach to Los Angeles and Orange Counties, has been proactive in presenting a series of free concerts focused on bringing together artists, community organizations and individuals as a means to engage, educate and activate the community to combat hate. Artists Against Hate concert, the third in the series, is scheduled for Sept. 6, at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Victims and witnesses of hate crimes can report and are eligible for free hotline support services by phoning 833-8-NO-HATE or visiting https://www.cavshate.org/.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.