All people in the United States have certain basic rights in every day life. These rights include being free from sexual harassment and racial discrimination. While civil rights are considered to be a priority, it is, unfortunately, the reality that many people suffer civil rights violations in differing contexts every year.
Being informed on your civil rights is a key part of the journey to protecting yourself. It is not possible to stand up for rights that you do not know you have. The following blog is an overview of civil rights law in the United States and how you can take action if you believe that your civil rights have been violated.
An overview of civil rights law
Civil rights law has close connotations with the pursuit of equal rights for African Americans. Civil rights are concerned with racial equality, as well as equality of all people, regardless of age, gender, religion or national origin. Civil rights is an umbrella term to describe several laws, most notably the Civil Rights Act of 1864, but also the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Most laws concerning civil rights are governed at a federal level, meaning that all American citizens are protected, regardless of which state they reside in.
How to take action after a civil rights violation
You may be able to argue that your civil rights were violated in a situation where you believe that you were treated unfairly because of your gender, race or religion. For example, if your car was pulled over by police for no reason and you were treated unfairly or aggressively, you may start to question whether you were treated this way because of your race, religion or gender. For example, many people, unfortunately, suffer police brutality due to racial discrimination.
If you have been arrested on suspicion of a crime and you were subjected to unnecessary violence or discriminatory treatment, you may be able to use an accusation of civil rights violations as a part of your defense. No one deserves to be discriminated against, and everyone has the right to be treated fairly when accessing employment, gaining housing or dealing with the law.
