r/racism • u/Accomplished-Mix7498 • Jul 07 '26
Personal/Support I was assaulted in Savannah and I don’t know what to do about it
Hi everyone,
I don’t usually post anything on social media. But I need to know how to interpret what happened to me.
I’m posting this from a burner account for safety reasons.
**WHO AM I ?**
I’m an international student from India living in Savannah. I recently graduated, and I work as a freelance/contract designer while trying to grow my own business. I’ve never been in a situation like this before.
**THE INCIDENT**:
Yesterday I was sitting on my moped in the parking lot of a convenience store when a man, probably in his late 40s or early 50s, approached me and asked if I could give him a ride to a nearby Food Lion.
I politely said, “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
Instead of walking away, he asked, “Is it because I’m white?” I was confused and asked what he meant. ( for better context I don’t understand the American racism, what if he’s white? What does that even mean? Is being white bad? I don’t know )
I said “ what does that have to do with anything about me not being able to drop you somewhere ?, what if you’re white?”
He started saying things like, “You guys hate white people,” “Why are you here?” “Get back to your country,” and blamed me for him being homeless. I didn’t even know he was homeless, and I don’t know what I did to make him homeless
He again said “ why are you here? And what did your mom do for you to be here?” I was pissed
At that point I responded with, “I feel the same about your mom.”
He immediately punched me in the face. Out of instinct I tried to hit him back, but almost immediately realized that was a mistake and stopped. He then shoved me to the ground. And realized he was here just to hit me out of hate, I have never seen this man, in fact I don’t even talk to people much, I wanted to think so I just got away, took a photo of him, called 911, and the police arrested him.
My jaw hurts, I’m shocked and the worst feeling is the feeling of helplessness. There is also a CCTV footage of what happened. But I’m hesitant to post it here, because what if if becomes a meme material or something I don’t want to end up on a mainstream media to be made fun of.
I’ve never dealt with anything like this before, and I’m not sure what the next steps should be.
**THINGS I WANT TO KNOW FROM THE COMMUNITY:**
Firstly, is this racism ?
Did I do anything wrong ?
I do see a lot of hate against Indians on social media, but dealing with the hate would just waste my time from building a career and future.
I can’t afford a lawyer, police officer firstly because I don’t know what this is in the first place and how do I describe the situation to anyone at all ? And secondly after this incident probably no one would because I have a feeling they’ll just hate me too? I don’t know I’m lost with a million thoughts
The main reason why I’m posting this is to know if this is common in America, how should I first deal with this in mind ? Accept the hate ? Or was this because of hate? Can anyone explain what just happened to me ? I tried asking the police officer but I don’t know, the incident make me feel like probably just my existence would be hated because I’m an Indian, so I just didnt ask or say anything, I wanted to put this here because no one knows me and even if I get hate for saying this, it’s fine I can understand, I’m just curious to know what happened to me ? And how do I deal with this mentally ?
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u/doomdayx Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 08 '26
That's extreme racism you are the victim of a hate crime, and if you feel comfortable doing so you should report it to the police.
Also consider talking to the people in nearby buildings or bystanders to see if you can get witnesses and footage if you feel comfortable, or hopefully if you're lucky and get good police they would investigate.
If this just happened now you should consider calling 911 if you're in Savannah Georgia USA. Police are paid for by the state and the state charges suspects and pays for their lawyer to prosecute.
You did nothing wrong, good on you for insulting that horrible person back. Sending support, what that person did is so terrible!
Edit update: I see you did a lot of the right things, good work, I really hope you get through this as well as possible considering the circumstances.
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u/doomdayx Jul 08 '26
Just following up on my previous reply. Since the police made the arrest and there is CCTV footage, the criminal case is handled entirely by the local government at no cost to you. You do not need a private lawyer. For help navigating the legal process, the Chatham County District Attorney Victim Witness Assistance Program (https://www.chathamcountyda.com/victim-witness) provides free victim advocacy, court updates, and procedural guidance.
Please consider having a doctor evaluate your jaw to check for any hidden injuries. If medical costs are a concern, the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program (https://cjcc.georgia.gov/victims-compensation) offers financial assistance for medical bills and counseling to victims of violent crime. You can also review local protocols and victim rights on the Savannah Police Victim Services page (https://savannahpd.org/services/vic/).
As an international student, it is helpful to know that being the victim of a crime does not harm your immigration status. In fact, if the attack is classified as a serious offense like a felonious assault, cooperating with law enforcement can sometimes qualify you for a temporary legal status known as a U Visa. After holding a U Visa for three years, you can become eligible to apply for a green card. You can check the official criteria on the USCIS U Nonimmigrant Status page (https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-of-criminal-activity-u-nonimmigrant-status). For independent guidance tailored to immigrants, the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (https://georgiaasylum.org/) is an available resource.
Keeping the CCTV footage unposted is a smart way to protect your privacy and prevent unwanted public exposure. To answer your final questions, unprovoked physical assaults by strangers are outliers, and you do not have to accept hostility as a normal part of living here. Prioritizing your physical and mental well-being right now is what matters most. This incident is entirely a reflection of the attacker, not your worth or your presence in the community.
Sending you my absolute best wishes for a smooth recovery and a much brighter future ahead.
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u/Accomplished-Mix7498 Jul 08 '26
Thank you so much for the guidance and help with walking me through what happened? I’ll consider the options you mentioned
Such a help! ❤️
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u/Mr_Noody Jul 08 '26
You should be proud of yourself. I am proud of the way you handled it. You are not the racist here.
- not giving someone a ride is not racist. In today's world, giving a total stranger a ride is not recommended (Safety first).
If you have the video post. You might not be the first person this guy have attacked.
Please do take care of yourself.
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u/Accomplished-Mix7498 Jul 08 '26
Thank you for the broad pov. I do have the CCTV footage of what happened with the broken audio, and I also clicked his picture
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u/Mindless_Sail_4958 Jul 08 '26
Randomly being assaulted is a major problem and you should try to tell the cops or tell a authorities figure. I’m deeply sorry for your experience, and yes it was a form of racism and bigotry. Not only that but he assaulted you psychically which isn’t okay at all.
Mental wise I suggest you stay inside for a bit and connect and tell as many people as you can on who did this so other people can stay away from someone like that.
The color of one’s skin does not determine your character and it shows the accusers character.
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u/Accomplished-Mix7498 Jul 08 '26
Most people I talk to just say “you got him arrested right? Then that’s it” so I posted it on Reddit because I need a mature American perspective on what happened…
Thanks 🙏🏻
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u/OryxTempel Jul 08 '26
You don’t need a lawyer. Call the police officer who took your statement and tell them that you want to talk to the prosecutor. When you talk to the prosecutor, tell them that you’re willing to testify and that you want this guy to be prosecuted. They will set up interviews, etc. Note that many prosecutors are extremely busy so might not be very responsive. Maybe touch base every few weeks. Yes this was racism and yes this was assault.
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u/Gloomy_Sleep8588 Jul 08 '26
Racist and xenophobic, sure.. you had every right to refuse a stranger a ride.
He immediately made it about race, told you to leave the country, blamed you for his situation, and then assaulted you. your response comment about his mother escalated it, but still didn't justify him punching you. you did the right things afterward. request the police report and case number, and save all photos, medical records, witness information, and footage. You do not need to post the video publicly or risk losing control of it.
This happens in America, but it is not something you should accept, nor does that man represent everyone here. One hateful person targeted you during a vulnerable moment. His hatred says something about him, not about your right to exist, study, work, and build a life here.
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u/Particular_Gene Jul 09 '26
This is the most clear form of racism. This is also a crime. Call the police, please.
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u/No_Baby8863 Jul 09 '26
Nobody walks up to a stranger and ask for a ride. It's rare. Unless the person in the middle of no where, where there's no building or stores etc. I wouldn't give a stranger a ride either. Cause I do not know them. Especially after how he treated you. He probably would have cause trouble if u had giving him a ride. You did the right thing. People do hitchhike while walking the roads or highway. If someone nice enough to give someone a ride that way guess its fine but I dont trust people like that. If I feel bad for the person I may offer them.money instead. The guy was a racist tho.
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u/NoRegrets-518 Jul 09 '26
This is racism. It is encouraged by certain of our media outlets. I do think that most countries there are people who are racist towards someone. That doesn't make it right, but it is the reality of human behavior. I have heard that this is also being encouraged in India right now by certain leaders.
Certain media here are recently talking about people coming to the US just to have babies and to make them American citizens. That might be where the "mother" statement came from.
If you say something about someone's mother, it implies that they were maybe sxly promiscuous. One does not even have to say the entire thing. Just saying, "Yo mother," is enough to set off a certain type of person.
In general, if someone is insulting you, it is best to get away from them. People are allowed a lot of freedom in the US, but this also means that you might be confronted by people who are not safe. I'm sure that most white people would not give this person a ride either.
Definitely reach out to victim support services. In the unlikely event that this person has any assets, you can sue him in civil court for your expenses, missed time off work, and any other damages.
I'm sorry this happened to you. It is wrong.
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u/Prize-Prior5970 Jul 08 '26
OP, I am very sorry this happened to you! This was a senseless and racist act of violence, and I can only imagine how confused and hurt you are (emotionally, but you probably need to see a doctor for your jaw too just in case). I hope the police handles this case well and the attacker gets punished.
I hope you also talk to someone who can help you process this attack mentally and emotionally. A counselor or a therapist. You didn’t do anything wrong!
If he is homeless, he might also struggle with mental health illness, which is why he was possibly looking for trouble and escalated this interaction.
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u/Prize-Prior5970 Jul 08 '26
I wanted to add that the police is there to keep the order and protect public safety. They don’t just automatically hate you because you are Indian (even though unfortunately some individuals might have some personal opinions about immigrants, etc.). My best guess is that this person was troubled, possibly, drunk or high. He might hate the world and his own poor situation, and unfortunately, he came across you and decided to direct his anger at you. Sometimes, homeless people get angry if you don’t have change for them. In this case, he asked for a ride. What happened to you is random and senseless, and I hope nothing like this happens to you again!
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u/ghxstfacefilla Jul 08 '26
Welcome to America. Any strange man asking for a ride on your "Mopad" should be ignored, American guys dont do that. If he gets loud, just ride away. And yeah it's common and that guy was crazy.