Hate crime in the United States - statistics & facts
“Our father brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”. More than 150 years on from Abraham Lincoln’s now immortal Gettysburg Address, America has witnessed countless people dedicated to that proposition. But in the nation that gave rise to Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Harvey Milk, and modern incarnations like Janet Mock or Laverne Cox, discrimination persists. Unfortunately, the motivations for hate are as diverse as the people who form the racial, religious, and mixed-gender melting pot that is the United States of America.
When these motivations lead to action from those wielding hate, the result is hate crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a hate crime as “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” In 2023, there were 7,275 victims of race-based hate crime in the United States, which were committed by about 5,120 different offenders.
The most prominent form of hate crime in the United States is anti-Black or African American hate crime. The reasons for this cultural prominence are two-fold. Firstly, the importance of the Black civil rights movement of the 20th century in many ways laid the foundation for civil rights movements across the United States. Secondly, the statistics show that an America free from racial discrimination remains a distinct possibility. Black or African Americans were the racial group most heavily victimized by hate crimes in 2023, with 3,750 victims compared to Hispanic or Latino Americans in second place with 1,061 victims. These crimes included intimidation, varying degrees of assault, and destruction of property.
The rise of advocacy for minorities has also coincided with a rise in so-called white nationalism. Those associated with white supremacist or white nationalist groups were responsible for 45 percent of all extremist-related fatalities in 2021. According to a survey conducted in 2022, 40 percent of registered voters in the U.S. reported feeling like white nationalism is a critical threat to the United States. Even more concerning is the belief that the movement consists of more than just a minority of extremists and sympathizers, as 42 percent of surveyed Americans were found to believe that former President and current Republican candidate Donald Trump personally supported the white nationalism movement.
Religious identity is another major motivation for hate crimes in the United States. Jews were the most victimized religious group by far as of 2023, and around 128 Jewish juveniles fell victim to hate crimes in that year. In a concerning historical trend stretching beyond America, the destruction, damage, and/or vandalism of Jewish properties was the most common form of anti-Jewish hate crimes committed in that same year.
Finally, hate crimes are also directed at people due to their sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. Attacks against gay men were the most commonly recorded anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime in 2023 with 1,037 incidents. That said, the prominence of the gay community does not distract from other smaller communities. 409 transgender people were targeted by hate crimes, as were 157 gender non-conforming people. Moreover, it is disconcerting that the majority of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes occurred at a place of residence, suggesting some members of the community are not even provided safety in their own home.
When these motivations lead to action from those wielding hate, the result is hate crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a hate crime as “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” In 2023, there were 7,275 victims of race-based hate crime in the United States, which were committed by about 5,120 different offenders.
Race-based hate crime
The most prominent form of hate crime in the United States is anti-Black or African American hate crime. The reasons for this cultural prominence are two-fold. Firstly, the importance of the Black civil rights movement of the 20th century in many ways laid the foundation for civil rights movements across the United States. Secondly, the statistics show that an America free from racial discrimination remains a distinct possibility. Black or African Americans were the racial group most heavily victimized by hate crimes in 2023, with 3,750 victims compared to Hispanic or Latino Americans in second place with 1,061 victims. These crimes included intimidation, varying degrees of assault, and destruction of property.
The rise of advocacy for minorities has also coincided with a rise in so-called white nationalism. Those associated with white supremacist or white nationalist groups were responsible for 45 percent of all extremist-related fatalities in 2021. According to a survey conducted in 2022, 40 percent of registered voters in the U.S. reported feeling like white nationalism is a critical threat to the United States. Even more concerning is the belief that the movement consists of more than just a minority of extremists and sympathizers, as 42 percent of surveyed Americans were found to believe that former President and current Republican candidate Donald Trump personally supported the white nationalism movement.
Anti-religious hate crime and hate crimes directed at sexuality and gender
Religious identity is another major motivation for hate crimes in the United States. Jews were the most victimized religious group by far as of 2023, and around 128 Jewish juveniles fell victim to hate crimes in that year. In a concerning historical trend stretching beyond America, the destruction, damage, and/or vandalism of Jewish properties was the most common form of anti-Jewish hate crimes committed in that same year.
Finally, hate crimes are also directed at people due to their sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. Attacks against gay men were the most commonly recorded anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime in 2023 with 1,037 incidents. That said, the prominence of the gay community does not distract from other smaller communities. 409 transgender people were targeted by hate crimes, as were 157 gender non-conforming people. Moreover, it is disconcerting that the majority of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes occurred at a place of residence, suggesting some members of the community are not even provided safety in their own home.
