Resilience BC: Anti-Racism Network

End Racism and Hate: Your Right. Your Responsibility.

Report a Hate Incident

If you are the VICTIM of racism or hate

If you are the victim of a racist or hate incident, you can take action in several ways:

  1. Ask for help. If you are in a public place and are being verbally or physically attacked, let others close by know you need help.
  2. Document: If it is safe, make a record of the incident by taking a photo or video of the perpetrator or the incident, or ask someone to do this for you. Note the time, day and location.
  3. Report it.
  4. Find Support: Contact Victim Link for confidential, multilingual crisis support and information and referrals.
  5. If you are an Indigenous person who experienced racism in the health care system, Safe Space offers a safe, anonymous way to report this incident.

If You Witness a Racist or Hate Incident

If you witness a racist or hate incident, you can take action in several ways in a safe and effective way:

  1. Assess your safety FIRST: Is it safe for you to say or do something? Your safety is key to be a good witness.
  2. Focus on the victim: IF IT IS SAFE, engage the victim in conversation, ask if they are okay or if they would like some assistance. This will let the perpetrator know that the victim is not alone.
  3. Engage others: IF IT IS SAFE, engage other witnesses. Talk to others in the space to gather support for the victim. There is power in numbers.
  4. Document: IF IT IS SAFE, document the incident by taking a photo or video of the incident or making notes. Keep a safe distance and note the time, day and location. Always ask the victim what they want to do with the photo or video and don’t post it online without their permission.
  5. When it is safe: Ask the victim if they would like assistance to report the incident to police or connect with Victim Link.

Get Involved – Resilience BC

The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network offers a multi-faceted, province-wide approach with greater focus and leadership in identifying and challenging racism. The program connects communities with information, supports and training they need to respond to, and prevent future incidents of, racism and hate.

The Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network delivers coordinated services through a “Hub and Spoke” model. The centralized hub connects communities, shares information and resources and coordinates training and anti-racism initiatives. The spokes are community-based branches that represent and work with local members. They also identify local priorities and move anti-racism and anti-hate projects forward.

Learn More

Other Ways to Report

Take action if you see racist or hateful content on the Internet.

Comments or videos on the Internet are not exempt from possible criminal liability as a hate crime and can be reported for investigation  where there is a sufficient link to Canada.

Discriminatory acts such as racist, transphobic, or sexist remarks (that may or may not be criminal in nature) may also be dealt with by human rights legislation or by the permitted usage policies by social media platforms, web hosting services and Internet service providers.  Coverage may include racist or hateful language or comments on news articles, social media posts, chat forums or online gaming.

Complaints can be directed to the police or to website administrators, web hosting or Internet service providers.

  • Report it to the police – If you see direct threats on the Internet, you can report it to the police.
  • Report it to the website administrator – Most websites have rules known as ‘acceptable use policies’ that set out what cannot be put on their website and often do not allow comments, videos and photos that offend or hurt people. Web and social media sites may have simple ways for you to report about a page or video. Others may have a “report this page” button that you can click.
  • Report it to the hosting company – Hosting companies own the digital space that is rented by website owners to have a presence on the Internet. Hosting companies often have their own set of rules about content. You can find out which company hosts a website by entering their web address on the “Who is hosting this?” website.
  • Contact your own Internet supplier to get more information.