Report offers deeper look at hate incidents across California
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More than two million Californians experienced acts of hate between 2022 and 2023, according to a recent annual survey by UCLA researchers.
Why it matters: The data reveals new details on the prevalence and nature of hate incidents across the state that weren't captured in previous years.
Between the lines: Only 2,054 hate crimes were reported in California in 2023, so these new estimates indicate people are facing hate and discrimination "well beyond what is reported to law enforcement," according to Kevin Kish, director of the California Civil Rights Department.
Driving the news: On Thursday, the department shared the data from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's 2023 California Health Interview Survey, which includes an additional section with questions on respondents' experiences with hate.
- The new information on who gets targeted, why, and how often can be "an invaluable resource that helps make sure policies and programs are most effective," Ninez Ponce, director of the UCLA research center, said in a statement.
- The survey, done annually since 2001, interviews more than 20,000 households statewide.
What they found: An estimated 8% of Californians age 12 and older directly experienced an act of hate in 2023, per the report. That's about 2.6 million people.
- The acts were mostly verbal, but about 525,000 cited interactions that were potentially criminal in nature, including physical assault and property damage.
- Most said they were targeted because of their race or skin color (57%), followed by ancestry, national origin, or language (19%) and gender identity (15%).
By the numbers: Black (16%), Native American (13%) and Asian (9%) respondents experienced incidents most frequently. LGBTQ+ respondents were also more likely to experience hate than Californians overall.
- Verbal abuse and insults (83%) were the most common types of hate acts, followed by cyberbullying (21%).
- Adults reported the most common places where the incidents occurred were the street or sidewalk (45%) and businesses (34%). Teens mostly faced them at school (80%) and online (24%).
State of play: Gathering new data focused on hate incidents is part of the state's effort to better assess their scope and address underreporting.
- California law now requires police departments to publicly post data on hate crimes and the state launched the CA vs Hate reporting hotline in 2023.
- Religious organizations and nonprofits can also apply for state grants to improve security and support services for victims and survivors.
The intrigue: This survey doesn't break down the prevalence of hate incidents by city or county, but hate crimes surged in San Diego from 2022 to 2023.
- The city saw a 47% increase with 54 cases reported to police — a 15-year high.
- The county also reported a 39% rise during that timeframe.
The big picture: Most of the nation's 10 largest cities saw major spikes in hate crimes in 2023, with the Israel-Hamas war driving a rise in antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes, Axios' Russell Contreras reported.