Report a Bias Incident

We live in a world where innocent people are sometimes targeted by others because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability. To help create a safe and inclusive campus community it is important that we all participate in reporting bias motivated incidents and hate crimes. By reporting bias motivated incidents and hate crimes you will help WWU to develop interventions to decrease future incidents. Please see the Survivor Support section below to access confidential support services if you are the survivor of a bias motivated incident or hate crime.

A hate crime, also known as a bias crime, is a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society which is motivated either partially or fully by an offenders’ bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ethnicity/national origin. UCLA reports that “Hate crimes can include: graffiti, verbal intimidation or threats, hate mail, (including e-mail), property damage, harassment, trespassing and stalking, physical assaults and threats, arson, attacks with weapons, and murder.”. Hate crimes are against the law and also against the University’s conduct code.

A bias-motivated incident, also known as a hate incident, is an act of conduct, speech, or expression, motivated partially or fully, by the offender’s bias against the perceived race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ethnicity/national origin of a targeted person. The incident may be wholly or partly motivated by bias and may or may not meet legal standards to be labeled a criminal offense. Bias motivated incidents happen frequently and are largely underreported. All hate crimes are bias-motivated incidents. However, not all bias-motivated incidents are crimes.

Both hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents occur on university and college campuses and negatively impact the ability of non-majority students to meet their educational goals in safe a welcoming environment.

By reporting all levels of hate crimes and bias incidents you help create a safer campus community because it helps the University monitor and develop programs and interventions to stop future incidents.

Submit a Report

Western Washington University has several support options for survivors of bias-motivated incidents and hate crimes.  These include the Counseling and Wellness Center, Survivor Advocacy, Structural Equity and Bias Response Team (SEBRT), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Committee (LGBTQ+CC), Ethnic Student Center (ESC), and Office of Student Life.

Call 911. Or, if you're on campus, contact University Police by dialing 360-650-3911

If you are not immediately in need of police, medical, psychological or other emergency services, hate crimes may also be reported using the Bias or Discrimination Online Report Form.