Reps. Velázquez, Israel & Serrano Introduce National Hate Crimes Hotline Legislation

Press Release

Thursday, Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY) and José E. Serrano (D-NY) announced the introduction of the National Hate Crimes Hotline Act of 2009.

"Far too many victims silently bear the burden of the crimes committed against them, which is why we are taking steps to provide a place for them to be heard. A National Hate Crimes Hotline would allow New Yorkers and victims across the country to safely report to the police and find vital assistance. In addition, accurate reporting will improve local responsiveness, increase prevention efforts and help bring an end to these heinous acts," said Rep. Velázquez.

"When a hate crime occurs, it's not simply an offense against an individual, but an offense against an entire community. And all too often, victims are so intimidated that they don't report these heinous crimes," said Rep. Israel. "Today, we are introducing the National Hate Crimes Hotline Act. Our goal is to give victims a safe way to report hate crimes and get help. With better reporting, we can provide a better response."

"Today we take a step toward guaranteeing that hate crimes do not go unreported and unpunished," said Rep. Serrano. "Our bill will help ensure that all victims of hate crimes feel comfortable in reporting them, and will provide new resources to combat and respond to hate crimes in communities across the nation. These new tools will help make our communities safer, and will continue the fight against these atrocious crimes."

"The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community experiences hate-crimes far too often, and CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers stands in full support of implementing this initiative to help all of our communities. This legislation will provide the vital mechanisms to help support victims of hate-crimes, facilitate reporting, and ensure that linkages to services are provided to all victims," said Guido A. Sanchez, National Manager of Membership & Development for CenterLink.

The hotline is modeled after the National Domestic Violence Hotline, with a goal of increasing both the reporting of and local responsiveness to hate crimes. The National Domestic Violence Hotline has fielded more than 2 million calls since its launch in 1996.

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