EDITOR'S NOTE: Multimedia journalist Kristopher Gee spoke with a hate crime survivor and anti-violence advocate about the recent report that shows hate crimes have risen to the highest level in 21 years in LA County. Click the arrow above to watch the video.
LOS ANGELES — Reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County rose to their highest level in 21 years in 2022, jumping 18% from the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday by the county Commission on Human Relations.
The report found 929 reported hate crimes in the county last year, up from 790 the prior year. The number is the highest it has been since the 1,031 recorded in 2001.
Other findings include the largest number of anti-transgender crimes ever tallied, a record-breaking number of anti-immigrant slurs, and a growing rate of hate crime violence. For the past eight years, hate crimes have been trending upward with a 143% increase since 2013.
“The release of the county’s Commission on Human Relations (report) comes at a somber time — a time in which we are seeing what is happening afar having a direct local impact here in LA County,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said in a statement. “It is also a reminder that we are not immune and hate and violence continue to impact the lives of Angelenos.”
Once again, Black residents were targeted at a higher rate than other racial groups, representing an increase in hate crimes from 219 previously to 294 last year. It is the second-largest number of anti-Black crimes ever reported; the study found.
The number of hate crimes targeting Latino residents rose to 121, and those showed the highest rate of violence among all racial/ethnic groups.
There were 61 reported anti-Asian crimes last year, revealing a 25% decline from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Crimes based on sexual orientation jumped by 20% year over year, with 81% of those crimes targeting gay men. There were 44 anti-transgender crimes, with 91% of those offenses classified as violent, a rate much higher than racial, sexual orientation and religious attacks.
Meanwhile, religion-based crimes jumped by 41%, with 83% of the offenses targeting Jews, according to the report.
“2022 witnessed deepening divides across the U.S. along lines of political party, race, sexual orientation, religion, and gender identity,” Robin Toma, the commission’s executive director, said in a statement. “Against this backdrop, hate crimes across the nation, including LA County, reached historic highs, which reflect more bias-motivated crime, but also better reporting.”
After reaching 48% the previous year, hate crimes in which anti- immigrant slurs were used continued to climb another 12% from 84 to 94, the largest number ever recorded. The report found that suspects used anti- immigrant language in 55% of anti-Latino crimes and in 25% of anti-Asian offenses.
Overall, the report noted that reported hate crimes have grown by 143% since falling to an all-time low in 2013.
County officials acknowledged that some of the increase could be attributed to more robust reporting of such crimes, aided by the LA vs Hate initiative encouraging victims to come forward and offering them support. But they also noted that many hate crimes likely still go unreported.
“The U.S. Department of Justice has reported that nearly half of all violent hate crimes are not reported to law enforcement,” the report stated. “It is reasonable, therefore, to conclude that the hate crimes documented in this report likely represent only a portion of hate crimes actually committed in 2022.”