If you believe that you have been the victim of a hate crime, you should:
- Report the crime to your local police station immediately. Ask that the incident be treated as a hate crime. Follow up with investigators.
- Report the crime to CAIR-GA. You can do this by emailing [email protected] or by calling (470) 299-7721. Inform CAIR-GA even if you believe it is a ‘small’ incident.
- Document the incident. Write down exactly what was said and/or done by the offender (including dates, times and places). Save all of the evidence and try to take photographs.
- Act quickly. Each incident must be dealt with right away, not when it is convenient.
- Decide on the appropriate action to be taken. Consider issuing a statement from community leaders, holding a news conference, organizing a peaceful protest, meeting with local officials or starting a letter writing campaign.
- Mobilize community support. Make sure that the local mosque or prominent American Muslim organizations are aware of your situation.
- Stay on top of the situation. Make sure you follow up with police, local media and community leaders to make sure that your case is receiving the attention that it deserves.
- Announce results. When the incident is resolved, make an announcement to the same people and organizations originally contacted.
If you encounter any issues of discrimination or harassment due your faith, please contact CAIR-Georgia as soon as possible by filling out an intake at https://cairgeorgia.org/report-incident/. You can also reach our legal department by emailing [email protected] or by calling (470) 299-7721.