CALIFORNIA LAW PROTECTS

YOU FROM HATE VIOLENCE

FACT SHEET

California law forbids acts of violence or

threats of violence against a person or their

property based on personal characteristics,

such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation,

gender identity, or religion. The California Civil

WHICH PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE RALPH ACT?

A person’s actual or perceived:

• sex/gender (including pregnancy, childbirth,

and related medical conditions)

• gender identity and gender expression

• race

• color

• religion

• ancestry

• citizenship

• primary language

• immigration status

• political afliation

• position in a labor dispute

These listed characteriscs are examples of protected

characteriscs; the law protects people against

discriminaon based on other characteriscs as well.

perceived protected characteristic – that is, what

someone knows about you or thinks they know

about you that is protected under the act. It typically

requires physical contact or threat of physical

contact with a person or their property. No one

can require a person to waive – or give up – the

act’s protections. For example, a person cannot be

required to give up protections under the act before

they can receive goods or services.

For example, the Ralph Act makes it illegal to:

the actual or perceived sexual orientation of

people who use or own the building;

• Use or brandish (show) a weapon to threaten

or hurt someone because of that person’s

actual or perceived gender or gender identity;

• Assault or try to assault a person because of

actual or perceived disability; or

• Advocate violence against a person due

to their actual or perceived protected

characteristic, including political afliation or

The Ralph Act provides civil remedies for

persons who have been targeted for of acts of

violence or threats of violence because of their

actual or perceived protected characteristic.

If a court rules in favor of someone targeted

for hate, available remedies include:

•

another person or requiring a person to

stay a certain distance away from another.

Sometimes restraining orders can protect

family or household members in addition

to an individual. After a restraining order is

obtained from a court, violators of that order

can be ned or jailed;

•

Actual damages: Money to cover the harms

you have suffered, such as the cost of medical

•

Civil penalties: In any legal action brought by

the person who experienced the act of hate -

or by the Attorney General, a district attorney,

or a city attorney, a court may order a ne of

$25,000, which would go to the person ling

the complaint; and/or

•

Attorney’s fees: A court may order payment

of the attorney’s fees resulting from the

1. First, get to a place where you feel safe.

2.

3.