NC sees 47% increase in reported hate crimes; FBI raising awareness

CHARLOTTE — The FBI in North Carolina is raising awareness around hate crimes.

The agency just launched an ad campaign that you’ll see on billboards around town and in social media posts.

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The FBI defines a hate crime as a crime that’s motivated by someone’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.

“People have a right to live in our country without fear of being victimized because of where they’re from, how they look, how they worship,” said Robert Dewitt, special agent in charge at FBI Charlotte.

For the past five years, the FBI has seen a steady increase in hate crime incidents. Nationally, reported hate crimes increased by 11.6% from 2020 to 2021. In North Carolina, local agencies reported an increase of 47% over the same time period. 185 crimes were reported in 2020 and 273 were in 2021.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, you can call the FBI with the number on your screen.

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