Hate crimes and bias-motivated violence such as the May 2026 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego have become an increasing source of fear and psychological distress for many communities in the United States. Psychologists warn these incidents can have effects that extend far beyond those directly targeted, contributing to anxiety, trauma, and a diminished sense of safety across entire communities.
The Department of Justiceopens in new window defines hate crimes as those “committed on the basis of the victim’s perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.”
“Hate-motivated violence against religious communities doesn’t just harm those directly targeted—psychological research shows the fear and trauma ripple far and wide,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr. “The shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego—now being investigated as a hate crime—is a devastating reminder of the real psychological toll of anti-Muslim hate. Let’s be clear: there is no place for religiously motivated violence in our society.”
Threats and violence against religious institutions and communities, including the December 2025 antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, and the January 2026 arson fire at Beth Israel synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi—the oldest and largest synagogue in that state—have prompted increased security at mosques, synagogues, and churches across the country and around the world.
Evans has also condemned antisemitic violence, emphasizing that these bias-motivated crimes harm not only their immediate victims, but also entire communities.
“When violence targets people because of their identity, communities experience fear, trauma, and lasting harm. There is no place for antisemitism in our society, and the psychological toll of the Bondi Beach tragedy underscores the urgency of addressing hate-motivated violence,” Evans said after the attack.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report Programopens in new window showed 11,679 hate crime incidents in 2024. That number has been steadily increasing over the years, up from 7,314 hate crimes taking place in 2019. In 2024, the FBI said more than 53% of victims were reportedly targeted because of their race or ethnicity, and more than 23% were targeted because of their religion.
Prejudice and discrimination are typically the foundation of hate-based violence. This type of violence can take the form of verbal violence, which may include degradation, harassment, humiliation, and threats. Hate-based violence may also take the form of physical violence, such as bullying, sexual violence, and maiming, and can go as far as murder and genocide.
[Related: Hate, bias, and intolerance—Antisemitism]
