Hate Crime and Bias Victimization of Latinx Adults: Rates From a Multisite Community Sample

Objective: To contribute a more complete and accurate understanding of rates of bias victimization toward Latinxs using self-report data from a community sample. Method: Totally, 910 Latinx adults from Boston, San Diego, and Houston were recruited through partnerships with community agencies and self-selection during local Latinx-focused events through the Spring and Summer of 2018. The survey evaluated experiences with hate crime, bias victimization, and non-bias victimization in their lifetime and past year. Background demographic information including immigration and documentation status were also queried. Results: The overall lifetime bias victimization rate for respondents was 52.9%. When focusing specifically on hate crimes this percentage was 28.4%, while the noncriminal bias victimization rate was 50%. There was a significant relationship between prior to past year bias victimization and past year non-bias victimization. Inversely, prior to past year non-bias victimization was also associated with past year bias victimization. Conclusion: The results of this study illustrate the limited nature of existing data sets on hate crime that rely on officially reported incidents or national surveys. This study is also one of the first to examine co-existence with other forms of victimization.