If you have been injured, seek medical attention immediately. A professional should examine even the slightest injury.

The police should be contacted as soon as possible after the incident occurred. You may be eligible for financial compensation for damages incurred. Get the responding officer's name and badge number. Also, contact a community organization, such as MPAC, to report the incident and seek assistance.

Write down any and all of the details of the crime as soon as possible after the incident. Include the perpetrator[s] gender, age, height, race, weight, clothes and other distinguishing characteristics. If any threats or comments were made, include them in the report.

Preserve any evidence, such as notes, clothing, graffiti, tape recordings, fingerprints, etc. Take photographs of any injuries and of the location where the incident occurred.

Make sure the officer files an incident report form and assigns a case number. If a police report is not taken at the time of your report, go to the police station and ask for one. Always get your own copy, even of the preliminary report.

If you believe the incident was hate/bias-motivated, urge the officer to check off the "hate/bias-motivation" or "hate crime/incident" box on the police report.

If the police do not assist you properly, file a complaint and contact MPAC immediately.

Contact your local community center or MPAC's Hate Crime Prevention Hotline (800-898-3558) to report the incident,&seek assistance & information - even if you choose not to contact the police. MPAC can familiarize you with the various avenues of recourse available to your specific case, and serve as a liaison to agencies or officials.

Contact your District Attorney's office or police department's victim services unit.

REPORT all hate crimes/incidents to MPAC. MPAC's Hate Crime Prevention Department continues to help victims by informing them of available avenues of recourse, advocating on their behalf, providing them with referrals to local anti-violence and victim advocates, facilitating hate prevention programs, serving as a liaison between the victim and the law enforcement agency investigating the case and more.