California Attorney General Focuses on Hate Crime Awareness in Fresno
By: Al Enteshar Newspaper
April 7th 2024
FRESNO, Calif. — As part of his ongoing efforts to combat hate crimes in California, Attorney General Rob Bonta visited Fresno County on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, to launch the “Stop the Hate, Be the Love” campaign. The initiative seeks to raise awareness and improve the reporting of hate crimes across the state, which have seen a disturbing rise in recent years.
During the event held at Fresno City College, Bonta highlighted the worrying statistics that reflect an increase in hate crimes in California, from 1,763 incidents in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022. He expressed concern over the data showing that more than half of such incidents were not being properly identified, investigated, or recorded as hate crimes.
“The challenge is significant, and it’s growing,” Bonta said. “Whether it’s hatred based on race, religion, or sexual orientation, the trend is clear: hate crimes are on the rise, and no community is immune.”
In response, the Attorney General’s office has issued new guidelines to help law enforcement better identify and handle these crimes. Bonta’s visit also underscored the critical need for community engagement in addressing this issue. He believes that increasing trust among residents and authorities is key to encouraging more people to report such offenses.
Statistics from 2022 reveal that among six Central California counties, 53 hate crime-related events were recorded, with Fresno County reporting 23 incidents. Bonta pointed out that although Fresno does not rank among the top cities for hate crimes, this could suggest that many cases go unreported due to victims’ fears of being ignored or retaliated against.
To further enhance community engagement and response, the state has introduced the Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) team. This initiative works closely with local groups, leaders, and residents to ensure a diverse range of perspectives are considered in the state’s approach to combating hate crimes.
Bonta’s campaign represents a dual approach: improving how hate crimes are recognized and dealt with by law enforcement, and ensuring communities are empowered to speak up. “It’s about making sure people know they’re not alone, and that there’s a whole community ready to support them,” he concluded.
With continued efforts like these, the hope is that more victims will feel secure in coming forward, leading to a more accurate depiction of the hate crime landscape in California and a stronger, united front against bigotry and violence.
This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate
