California State Civil Rights Department partners with UCLA Center for Health Policy Research to study extent of hate acts

An estimated 2.6 million Californians directly experienced at least one act of hate over the course of a year between 2022 and 2023, according to new findings released by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) in partnership with the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research’s California Health Interview Survey.

The CRD sponsored a series of questions that were added to the annual California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) to gain a clearer understanding of the overall prevalence of hate acts across California.

“California continues to lead when it comes to combatting hate,” said Kevin Kish, director of the CRD. “From direct investments to cutting edge programs, we’re using every tool available. Through our work with CHIS, we’re also helping show the impact of hate. These estimates make it clear that people across our state continue to experience hate and discrimination well beyond what is reported to law enforcement. It takes all of us working together to live up to our values of respect and compassion for every Californian.”

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. The survey serves as a leading source of comprehensive data on the health of Californians.

“Creating and sharing quantifiable data about our most pressing issues forms the bedrock of our work at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research,” said Dr. Ninez Ponce, professor and endowed chair in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management, as well as director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR). “What we’ve learned in this report about hate acts — in terms of who gets targeted, why, and how often — can be an invaluable resource that helps make sure policies and programs are most effective.”

For more information, read the UCLA CHPR release.