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SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS California's Attorney General Rob Bonta released a special report on hate crimes against AAPI. |
California's Attorney General, a Filipino American, confessed that he fears for the safety of his mother when she goes out by herself.
Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 107% according to a special report from his office, said Attorney General Rob Bonta at a Wednesday press conference held in Oakland's Chinatown, where a number of attacks against AAPI elderly have occurred.
“For too many, 2020 wasn’t just about a deadly virus, it was about an epidemic of hate,” said Bonta in a prepared statement. “The facts here are clear: There was a surge in anti-Asian violence correlated with the words of leaders who sought to divide us when we were at our most vulnerable. But one of our most powerful weapons against hate is knowledge. When we’re armed with the facts, we put ourselves in a position to be our own best advocates; we put ourselves in a position to be able to fight for what is right.”
The special report on anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic provides a broad overview of the historical context for anti-Asian sentiment in California and a direct analysis of some of the key data captured in the most recent statewide report on hate crime. A copy of the full report is available here.
For instance, anti-Asian hate crime events increased by 107% from 43 in 2019 to 89 in 2020. The highest number of events were reported in March and April, during the height of pandemic-fueled, trumped-up rhetoric. This rhetoric was perpetuated at the highest levels of public office and built on a long history of harmful Asian stereotypes in the United States, cited the report
In fact, as early as the Gold Rush, Chinese residents, for example, were blamed for high unemployment, spreading disease, and “invading” the United States.
Overall, hate crime in California surged 31% in 2020, fueled mainly by a big jump in crimes targeting Black people during a year that saw the worst racial strife in decades, according to an annual report released Wednesday.
Throughout the state, hate crimes increased from 1,015 to 1,330 last year, while the number of victims increased 23%, from 1,247 to 1,536. Black people account for 6.5% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million people but were victims in 30% of all hate crimes — 456 overall, up 87% from the previous year.
“What we see from these reports is what we have seen and felt all year — we are in the midst of a racial justice reckoning in this country. It’s multi-faceted, and it cannot be solved overnight.” Attorney General Rob Bonta said.
Violent crime incidents driven by anti-Asian hate increased from 32 in 2019 to 72 in 2020, according to a companion report that aims to put that violence into modern and historical context dating to Gold Rush days of the mid-19th century and a history of harmful Asian stereotypes in the United States.
The number of hate incidents appear lower than the reports collected by the community-based organization Stop AAPI Hate. The over 6,000 reports gathered by Stop AAPI Hate include harassment, verbal attacks as well as physical assaults that may not meet the legal criteria to be classified as a hate crime. Some of the incidents would be difficult to prove racial animus as a motive.
As of the 2020 U.S. Census, over 6 million Asian Americans -- or, 15.5% of the state's population -- reside in California, the largest Asian American community in the U.S.
California defines hate crimes as those targeting victims because of their race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender or a disability. The definitions have been expanded at various times in recent years. Each hate crime event can include more than one related offense against more than one victim by more than one offender.
Bonta also unveiled new guidance, reports, and resources to help the public and law enforcement better understand and address hate crimes in California.
At 1,330 bias events in 2020, overall hate crimes in the state are at their highest reported level in more than a decade. This significant increase in hate crime activity — impacting a wide range of Californians — was particularly pronounced for Asian Americans during periods in which harmful rhetoric from public figures sought to connect the Asian community with COVID-19.
Despite these reported increases, the California Department of Justice recognizes that hate crimes in the state are generally underreported and that the data presented may not adequately reflect the actual number of hate crimes that occurred in the state.
Recognizing the need for action at every level of government and society, Bonta is urging law enforcement and members of the public to take advantage of the wide array of information and resources being provided today so that all Californians can be part of the fight to tackle hate at its roots.
“We must stand against hate. My administration is taking aggressive, targeted action to support targeted Californians and prevent hate crimes, proposing an investment of $100 million to support survivors and another $200 million in community-based responses to violence,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “To our neighbors who have been exposed to these unspeakable acts, know that we have your back and will use the tools at our disposal to increase safety. We will work to promote diversity and inclusion, and ensure the safety of all Californians.”
"One of our most powerful weapons against hate is knowledge," Bonta said. "Ultimately, it's going to take building bridges to make that difference, to ensure every community in the state feels welcome."
As part of Wednesday’s expansive effort to increase access to information and resources around hate crime in California, Attorney General Bonta is issuing:
- The special report documenting an alarming 107% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020;
- the full 2020 hate crimes report;
- a new information bulletin to law enforcement agencies across the state that provides a critical overview on laws and penalties related to hate crimes;
- new guidance for prosecutors on best practices and resources for combating hate crimes at every level of enforcement;
- updated brochures in 25 languages to help victims and members of the public directly secure assistance; and
- new and updated dashboards on the OpenJustice data portal exploring hate crimes in general and by bias motivation.
The 2020 hate crimes report presents statistics on hate crime events, hate crime offenses, victims of hate crimes, and suspects of hate crimes. The report also provides statistics reported by district and elected city attorneys on the number of hate crime cases referred to prosecutors, the number of cases filed in court, and the disposition of those cases. The report does not include data on hate crime incidents.
Some of the other key findings in the latest report include:
- Overall, hate crime events increased 31% from 1,015 in 2019 to 1,330 in 2020;
- Anti-Black bias events were the most prevalent, increasing 87% from 243 in 2019 to 456 in 2020;
- Anti-white bias events also increased from 39 in 2019 to 82 in 2020;
- Hate crime events motivated by religion decreased 13.5%, with anti-Jewish events falling 18.4% from 141 in 2019 to 115 in 2020;
- Hate crime events involving sexual orientation also fell 12% from 233 in 2019 to 205 in 2020; and
- Of the 108 cases filed for prosecution with a disposition available for this report, 42.6% were hate crime convictions, 45.4% were other convictions, and 12% did not result in any conviction.
Law Enforcement Bulletin and Prosecutor Guidance
The new law enforcement bulletin and guidance for prosecutors both work to ensure state and local law enforcement officials across California have the necessary information and tools to continue to respond appropriately and swiftly to hate crime activity in the state. Together, the guidance and bulletin work to, among other things, help law enforcement:
- Properly identify and investigate hate crimes;
- Ensure fair and uniform application of hate crime laws;
- Increase the success of prosecutions by ensuring more immediate and consistent contact with victims and affected communities; and
- Identify alternative forms of sentencing or restorative justice approaches to hate crime prosecutions.
Crimes motivated by hate are not just attacks on individual people — they are attacks on our communities and the entire state, the report states.
A copy of the hate crimes report is available here.
A copy of the law enforcement bulletin is available here.
A copy of the guidance for prosecutors is available here.
Members of the public can further explore the most recent hate crime data on OpenJustice here. The portal also contains an updated general dashboard on hate crimes and a brand-new dashboard organized by bias motivation type.
When Bonta was appointed to the Attorney General's post by Gov. Newsom earlier this year, he vowed to make hate crimes a priority of his office.
"Ultimately, it’s going to take building bridges to help make a difference," said Bonta. "It’s going to take harnessing the resources at our disposal to ensure every community across the state feels safe and welcome. I urge law enforcement and all Californians to make use of the tools being provided today. Together, we can tackle hate in all its forms.”
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