Recent data released by the FBI shows an increase in hate crimes across the country. While the numbers in Kentucky have declined overall, there was a significant spike in Lexington.
The Lexington Police Department reported 11 hate crimes in 2021. Nine have been categorized as Race/Ethnicity/Ancestry Bias, and only one was related to sexual orientation.
Last year, the number of hate crimes rose to 14. While the number of Race/Ethnicity/Ancestry Bias category crimes dropped to five, the number of crimes related to sexual orientation and gender identity rose to six.
Currently, the number of reported hate crimes this year has risen to 21, according to the LPD. Officials say this number is likely higher, as many cases go unreported.
“Given that a city of 300,00 people has people of all races, religions, nationalities, and sexual orientation, it would be foolish of us to think that number is not underestimated,” Fayette County Attorney Angela Evans told Fox56.
Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney Kimberly Baird believes the latest numbers fail to capture the true scope of the situation. According to Baird, hate crimes go unreported for a variety of reasons, including concerns over privacy, lack of trust in the justice system, and a fear of retaliation.
“There are people out there who want to protect their community, wanting to get to know their community, putting their lives on the line,” Baird said. “They don’t want to be associated with those officers who have a bad reputation for being disrespectful. They don’t want that. So be trustful, and we must report those crimes and do it together as a community to make a change.”
While the number of hate crimes related to sexual orientation and gender identity is showing a rising trend, Kentucky’s hate crime law does not cover crimes motivated by anti-transgender bias.
At the federal level, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act does allow the government to prosecute hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity bias.
The U.S. Department of Justice advises individuals who are victims or have witnessed a hate crime to report it to state and local police.
“Hate crimes and any crimes can be reported to the Lexington Police Department by calling 911 in an emergency or (859) 258-3600. We encourage anyone who is a victim of a hate crime to come forward and report the crime,” Hannah Sloan, public information officer for the LPD, told the Herald-Leader.