Study: Anti-Asian Hate Crimes More Likely to Happen in U.S. Counties with Higher Drug Use, Poverty

The study found that counties with higher drug overdose deaths and income inequality reported more anti-Asian hate incidents.Photo byJason LeungonUnsplash

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) has released a new study, "Roots of Racism: Examining the Conditions for Anti-Asian Hate During COVID-19," highlighting the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents (AAHIs) during the pandemic. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the study links the increase in AAHIs to local economic conditions and health disparities, revealing discrepancies between incidents reported by the FBI and those covered by news media.

The study found that counties with higher drug overdose deaths and income inequality reported more anti-Asian hate incidents. For instance, Philadelphia County saw 22 incidents reported by the media, while Dallas County, with similar demographics but lower inequality, reported only 6.

The report also notes significant gaps between FBI and media reports of hate incidents. San Francisco, CA, had 113 incidents reported by the media versus 70 by the FBI, whereas Suffolk, MA, showed the opposite trend with 11 media reports and 26 FBI reports.