By Chris Jennewein
Times of San Diego
SAN DIEGO –California’s anti-hate hotline received 1,020 reports of potential criminal acts in its first year of operation, with anti-Black and anti-Jewish incidents leading the list, officials said Monday.
The CA vs Hate hotline is a multilingual statewide phone and online portal that provides an anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate acts.
“CA vs Hate is about recognizing and protecting the incredible diversity of our state and sending a clear message that hate will never be tolerated,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Kevin Kish, the director of the California Civil Rights Department, which operates the hotline, said the project is “just the beginning” of efforts to fight hate.
“When California was confronted by an alarming increase in hate, we didn’t just sit back and hope it got better,” said Kish. “We came together and launched an array of nation-leading programs to ensure all our communities feel welcome and protected.”
An analysis of the hotline reports by UC Berkeley found:
–The most common reasons cited for calling were discriminatory treatment (18.4%), verbal harassment (16.7%), and derogatory names or slurs (16.7%).
–The most common locations where an incident occurred were residential (29.9%), workplace (9.7%), and public facilities (9.1%).
–Race and ethnicity were the major hate reasons (35.1%), followed by gender identity (15.1%), and sexual orientation (10.8%).
–Anti-Black (26.8%), anti-Latino (15.4%), and anti-Asian (14.3%) bias were the most cited reasons for reports related to race and ethnicity.
–Anti-Jewish (36.9%), anti-Hindu (23.3%) and anti-Muslim (14.6%) were the most cited reasons for reports related to religious targeting.
Many hate crimes have historically gone unreported due to a variety of factors, including fear of retaliation, lack of culturally appropriate resources, concern around potential immigration consequences, and distrust of law enforcement.
Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or online at any time. Hate acts can be reported in 15 different languages through the online portal and in over 200 languages when calling the hotline.
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Chris Jennewein is publisher and editor of Times of San Diego with which San Diego Jewish World trades news and features under auspices of the San Diego Online News Association.