Resources Safety and your rights
Attacks and threats because of hatred
Where to report attacks, threats, slurs or being refused work, housing or service because of sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, religion or status, and what help victims can get.
This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
A hate crime is defined in section 485.05 of the New York State Penal Law. A bias incident is an act done wholly or mainly because of race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, ancestry, national origin or sexual orientation (including transgender people). If there is no crime, such as slurs without threats, the City's human rights commission handles it.
Immigration status does not stop you reporting a crime or getting help.
This is general information, not legal advice; QARAVAN has no lawyers.
Start here
- If an attack or threat is happening now, call 911. If it is over or there was no violence, go to your local NYPD precinct.
- Immigration status does not stop you reporting a hate crime, and New York City does not ask about it.
- If there was no crime but you face slurs or were refused work, housing or service, file a complaint with the City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), usually within a year.
Where to turn after an attack, threats or discrimination
| When to turn there | How to reach it | |
|---|---|---|
| 911 | A crime is happening now or you need emergency help | Phone; say your language and an interpreter joins |
| Your local NYPD precinct | The crime happened earlier or was non-violent; if bias is possible, the precinct notifies the Hate Crime Task Force | Go to the precinct |
| The District Attorney’s Office of your borough (hate crime unit) | You can also report a hate crime to the District Attorney | Find the District Attorney’s Office of the borough where it happened |
| City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) | A bias incident without a crime: insults without a threat of violence, discrimination at work, in housing and in services | The online form on the CCHR website |
| Civil Rights Bureau of the State Attorney General’s Office | A hate crime or a bias incident | The online form at ag.ny.gov/file-complaint/civil-rights or civil.rights@ag.ny.gov |
| New York State Hate Crimes Task Force | Threats, harassment or discrimination motivated by bias | The online form: forms.ny.gov/s3/Hate-Crime-Tips |
| The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) | Crimes motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or gender | An electronic tip at tips.fbi.gov or through a local office |
Get to safety
Get to a safe place. If the danger isn't over, call 911, say “Russian” and wait for the interpreter.
Report to the police
In an emergency call 911; if the attack is over or wasn't violent, go to the nearest NYPD precinct. Officers will help and take a report; if bias may be involved, they notify the Hate Crime Task Force.
Write down what happened
Time, place, what the attacker said, names and contacts of witnesses; photos of injuries and damage; messages and links if the threats were online.
Talk to a victim advocate
Every NYPD precinct has Safe Horizon advocates from the City's Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP). No police report needed; help is free, confidential and in several languages: counseling, safety planning, compensation and benefit claims, advocacy with landlords, employers, schools and creditors.
Apply for compensation
The State Office of Victim Services (OVS) can cover crime-related costs. Apply online through OVS Compass at ovs.ny.gov/victim-compensation, as a guest if you like. Usually any victim of a crime who was physically injured qualifies, and for hate crimes and many domestic violence crimes, even without injury. Conditions: report to police or another criminal justice agency within a week, apply within a year, explain any delay, and cooperate with law enforcement and OVS. OVS pays last, after insurance and workers' compensation. A paper application is available in Russian and can be mailed. You don't need a Social Security number to qualify.
If you are LGBTQ+ or live with HIV
The NYC Anti-Violence Project (AVP) takes reports of violence on its hotline in English and Spanish (Mon–Thu 10 am–6 pm, Fri 10 am–2 pm Eastern time; leave a message at other times) and offers counseling and legal advice. The online form is not working now.
If you are struggling
Call or text 988 (NYC 988: free, 24/7, interpreters in 200+ languages; on a call, say “Russian”).
Check whether it may be discrimination
Being refused work, housing or service, or threatened, because of status, origin, sexual orientation or gender identity may violate the NYC Human Rights Law. It covers hiring and work, housing, public places and services, and discriminatory harassment. CCHR takes these complaints for free.
Report to the commission
Fill in the online form on the commission’s website: nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/report-discrimination.page.
Remember the deadlines
File within one year; for sex- or gender-based harassment, within three years.
File a real complaint
The website form is not a complaint. A complaint to the commission's Law Enforcement Bureau must be signed, notarized and mailed or delivered in person: only that stops the clock.
Don’t wait for a reply to the form
If you are not sure whether your report counts as a complaint, check with the commission, but file the notarized complaint without waiting for an answer.
NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR)
Any statusFree
The City commission handles bias that falls short of a crime: discriminatory harassment (such as slurs without threats of violence) and discrimination in housing and employment. Status, origin, gender identity and sexual orientation are protected. Free.
NYPD Hate Crime Task Force
Any status
The NYPD unit that investigates hate crimes citywide. Report through 911 or at a precinct. Victims aren't asked about immigration status, and personal details such as sexual orientation are not shared without consent. The guide “How to Report Hate Crime” is available in Russian.
NYC Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC)
Any status
The City office on how to report a hate crime and where to get help. Its victim guide is in Russian. Report a crime through 911 (say “Russian”) or at an NYPD precinct.
Civil Rights Bureau, New York State Attorney General’s Office
Any status
Enforces laws against discrimination by race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, source of income and disability. Victims of hate crimes and bias incidents can file online (ag.ny.gov/file-complaint/civil-rights, under “Discrimination or violation of rights”) or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov.
New York State Hate Crimes Task Force
Any status
A State Police unit working with the Division of Human Rights and the Division of Criminal Justice Services. If you faced bias threats, harassment or discrimination, report through the Division of Human Rights online form: forms.ny.gov/s3/DHR-Bias-Incident-Form. You can report anonymously.
New York State Division of Human Rights
Any status
The State agency investigates discrimination complaints in housing, employment, credit and some public places on protected grounds, including age, race, sex, sexual orientation and disability. You can file on its website.
FBI, Victim Services Division
Any status
The FBI also investigates crimes motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or gender. Report at tips.fbi.gov or to a local field office.
Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP)
Any statusFree
Safe Horizon advocates in NYPD precincts support victims and their families after any crime or violence. No police report needed; free, confidential, in several languages: counseling and long-term support, safety planning, compensation and benefit claims, advocacy with landlords, employers, schools and creditors.
New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS)
Any status
Helps victims of crime, hate crimes included. Compensation covers medical care and counseling (no cap) and, within limits: up to $2,500 for essential personal property, $2,500 for relocation, $2,500 for crime scene cleanup, $12,000 for funerals and $30,000 for lost wages or support. Apply online through OVS Compass on the OVS website. The OVS fund also supports more than 200 victim programs. The same conditions apply: report within a week, apply within a year, explain any delay, cooperate with law enforcement and OVS; OVS pays after insurance and workers' compensation. “Know Your Rights” materials are in Russian.
NYC Anti-Violence Project (AVP)
Any statusFree
Helps LGBTQ+ people and people affected by HIV who survived hate violence or any other violence. For Russian, first write to the HOPE chat: on.nyc.gov/hotlinechat. The AVP hotline is in English and Spanish; after hours leave a message and they call back within two business days. The online form is not working now.
Unity Project
Under 25
A City program supporting LGBTQ+ young people: its website collects resources on peer and professional support, family support, school and education, health, housing, employment and healthy relationships.
MOIA Immigration Legal Support Centers
NYC residentsFree
The City's free immigration legal help centers: consultations and representation at community organizations across New York City. Household income must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The City's MOIA line (800-354-0365, Russian available) tells you which center near you speaks your language; the line doesn't book appointments itself.
- Hate crime
- A crime defined in Section 485.05 of the New York State penal law; it carries enhanced penalties.
- Bias incident
- An act motivated in whole or substantial part by a person’s or group’s identification with a particular race, religion, origin, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation; if it involves no crime, it is handled by the City human rights commission.
- Hate Crime Task Force
- A special unit of the New York City Police Department that investigates hate crimes citywide.
- CCHR
- The City Commission on Human Rights, which takes complaints about discrimination and bias incidents.
- OVS
- The Office of Victim Services, the New York State agency that pays compensation to crime victims and funds assistance programs.
- CVAP
- The Crime Victim Assistance Program, a City program for crime victims: Safe Horizon advocates work in NYPD precincts.
- Notarized complaint
- A complaint whose signature has been certified by a notary; only such a complaint stops the deadline at the CCHR.
- District Attorney
- The prosecutor who handles criminal cases in one of the boroughs of New York City.
All pages: Safety and your rights
Sources, checked November 2026
- nyc.gov/site/immigrants/legal-resources/get-legal-help.page
- avp.org/get-help
- nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/report-discrimination.page
- nyc.gov/site/nypd/services/law-enforcement/hate-crimes.page
- nyc.gov/site/stophate/file-a-report/file-a-report.page
- nyc.gov/site/stophate/resources/victim-support.page
- ovs.ny.gov/victim-compensation
- avp.org/get-help/report-violence
- on.nyc.gov/hotlinechat
- dhr.ny.gov/node/7806
- ag.ny.gov/file-complaint/civil-rights
- ag.ny.gov/file-complaint
- ovscompass.ovs.ny.gov/ovs/applicant/signIn