Civil Rights Department Highlights Results of 2024 Statewide Survey of Hate Across California

SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) — in partnership with the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research’s California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) — today highlighted the results of a new representative survey on the experiences of Californians aged 12 and older with hate across the state. Based on a series of questions sponsored by CRD and the Commission on the State of Hate, the findings from CHIS show an estimated 3.1 million Californians directly experienced at least one act of hate over the course of a year between 2023 and 2024.

“An estimated 1 in 11 Californians directly experienced hate in 2024,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “But official hate crime reports only capture a fraction of the picture. This survey makes it absolutely clear that programs like California vs Hate are vital to help fill the gap. Whether it’s bullying in schools or verbal harassment on the street, we’re stronger when we come together in the face of hate.”

“This comprehensive survey is key to the Commission on the State of Hate’s mandate to forge partnerships with state government and established scholars to better assess trends, responses, and the extent of increasing bias motivated aggression, which we’ve shown impacts millions of Californians annually,” said California Commission on the State of Hate Chair Brian Levin. “Moreover, these surveys indicate a tremendous gap between official reporting and the actual number victimizations occurring each year in our state. Severe underreporting remains a widespread issue, particularly among various communities that have historically been fearful to engage with government, making our enhanced outreach efforts all the more crucial.”

“The California Health Interview Survey is data for the people of California,” said Ninez A. Ponce, PhD, MPP, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the principal investigator of the California Health Interview Survey. “Working with the California Civil Rights Department to examine an urgent public health issue, such as hate incidents, helps us leverage our data and research expertise for the public good.”

State Sponsors Questions on Prevalence of Hate

Every year, CHIS, the largest population-based state health survey in the nation, interviews more than 20,000 households on a wide range of topics related to health. In 2024, CRD, in conjunction with the Commission on the State of Hate, sponsored questions in the survey asking respondents about their experiences with hate during the past year. These questions included all acts of hate — i.e., incidents motivated by bias against people based on their identities, characteristics, or beliefs — and were not limited to hate crimes.

Over the course of 2024, CHIS asked a representative sample of Californians who were 12 and older whether they had experienced or witnessed an act of hate during the past year and details about their experiences with hate. The new data from the survey provides an in-depth look into acts of hate in California beyond hate crime data reported to law enforcement. These statistics represent a snapshot in time based on self-reported experiences of hate as understood by individual survey participants.

Key Takeaways on Statewide Impact of Hate

Key findings from the survey conducted throughout 2024 of Californians who were 12 and older include:

Overall Estimated Prevalence:

• An estimated 3.1 million Californians (9%) directly experienced at least one act of hate.
• Roughly 500,000 more Californians experienced an act of hate in the 2024 data compared to 2023.
• Adolescents (17%) were nearly twice as likely as adults (9%) to directly experience hate.
• An estimated 4.8 million Californians (15%) witnessed an act of hate.

Motivation and Location:

• Some of the top bias motivations identified by respondents were race or skin color (55%); ancestry, national origin, or language (21%); and gender or sex, including gender identity (17%).
• 40% of Californians who experienced hate were targeted based on multiple identities or characteristics.
• Some of the most common locations where adults experienced hate were the street or sidewalk (43%), at businesses (35%), and at work (24%).
• For youth between 12 and 17 years old, some of the most common locations were at school (83%) and online (29%).

Incident Types:

• Roughly 1 in 13 Californians (8%) experienced verbal abuse or insults, which was the most common type of hate experienced.
• An estimated 649,000 Californians (2%) experienced hate that was potentially criminal in nature, including either physical assault or property damage.
• An estimated 679,000 Californians (2%) experienced cyberbullying, which was the next most common type of incident after verbal abuse or insults.

California Leads the Nation in the Fight Against Hate

With reported hate crimes on the rise, California has continued to lead by investing in cutting-edge programs to combat hate and discrimination. In 2023, Governor Newsom launched CA vs Hate, the state’s first-ever multilingual hotline to provide a safe reporting option and resources for victims and witnesses of hate. In 2024, CA vs Hate received nearly 1,200 reports of hate across nearly 50 different counties. California has also taken direct action to bolster safety and security grants for faith communities and nonprofits. The state continues to provide crucial funding to support direct services at the local level through the Stop the Hate grant program. Governor Newsom also signed legislation establishing the California Commission on the State of Hate to monitor and track hate and recommend policy to the Governor and Legislature.

To report an act of hate and get support, you can go to CAvsHate.org or call 833-8-NO-HATE, i.e., (833) 866-4283. CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate reporting hotline and online portal. For individuals who want to report a hate crime to law enforcement immediately or who are in imminent danger, please call 911.

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is one of the nation’s leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health policy information for California. The center improves the public’s health through high-quality, objective, and evidence-based research and data that informs effective policymaking.

Read more from CHIS in this factsheet about the 2024 hate acts data and this infographic with five key takeaways. You can learn more about survey and underlying data on CHIS’ website.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. CRD’s mission is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state-funded programs and activities, and from hate violence and human trafficking. For more information, visit calcivilrights.ca.gov.

View Press Release (PDF) Civil Rights Department Highlights Results of 2024 Statewide Survey of Hate Across California