New research findings were released on Monday that hate crimes targeting the Asian American community reached unprecedented levels.

The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism published a compilation of hate crime data, revealing that anti-Asian hate crime increased by 339% last year compared to the year before, with New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other cities crossing record numbers in 2020. 

The surge is part of an 11% increase in suspected hate crimes reported to police across America.  Additionally, in most cities, Black Americans remained the most targeted group, according to the report.

Pandemic-fueled racism 

As the Asian American community deals with pandemic-fueled racism, data show that other groups deal with certain forms of hate, according to John C. Yang, president and executive director of the nonprofit civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC. In times like these, "solidarity benefits us all," he said.

According to the data, there has been a considerable spike in reported anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020, when they surged by 124% over the previous year. The number of anti-Asian hate crimes in New York City increased by 343%, from 30 to 133. In San Francisco, the number of offenses increased by 567%, from nine to 60. Similarly, the city of Los Angeles had a 173% increase.

Concern peaked in March, Yang said, after eight people were slain in shootings at Atlanta-area spas, six of whom were Asian women. Despite some advances, such as improved knowledge among elected officials, Yang says the problem is far from being solved.

“Reports of increased anti-Asian hate in 2021 are, sadly, not a surprise,” said Yang, who stressed the necessity of culturally appropriate and accessible community safety programs. “Again, our communities are still under attack, and we must continue our efforts to address anti-Asian hate.” 

Verbal abuse is also abuse

The research also includes data from the Stop AAPI Hate hate incidence tracking platform on hate incidents against Asian Americans, which include nonviolent forms of discrimination such as verbal harassment and shunning. From March 2020 to September 2021, the program received around 10,370 reports of hate acts.

Because of the mobilization around the issue in the Asian American community, the data may represent multiple variables, including improved awareness around reporting methods and growing openness to report such instances, according to Russell Jeung, a co-founder of the organization.

Because of the widespread availability of information on the subject, more dramatic spikes may be observed in cities, according to Jeung. There may be more racially aware Asian Americans in certain locations, as well as journalists who cover the subject, who are more inclined to address the pandemic's sparked racism.

“People may not report as much if you haven’t taken ethnic studies and live in Kansas. So that’s one factor of why we’re getting more reports. On the coasts, you have more Asian Americans who are attuned to and aware of how we’re facing discrimination,” Jeung said.