Racially motivated hate crimes are most prevalent by far in Maryland, followed by attacks on religion and sexual orientation or gender identity. Photo Michael Thomas/Getty Images.
As reported hate crimes continue to rise in Maryland, the Civil Rights Division of the Attorney General’s Office has unveiled a new online portal where victims and witnesses can report information that will be used to track the crime and identify trends.
The site, nohomeforhate.md.gov, comes as the number of hate crimes in the state has been steadily increasing, from 388 in 2021 to 465 in 2022, according to the most recent report from Maryland State Police. The 2022 numbers were three times higher than the 155 hate crimes reported in 2014.
The portal can be used anonymously by victims and witnesses of hate crimes, but officials caution that it does not replace a police report. People who see or are subject to a hate crime should call 911 first to summon local police, then turn to the reporting site.
In a press release announcing the portal, Attorney General Anthony Brown said it will be “a safe place to speak up. It will help us all understand how widespread these incidents are, so we can better address them.” The division said information gathered from the site will be used to track hate crimes and hate bias incidents, identify trends and guide the work of the Attorney General’s Office and the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.
In addition to a reporting form, the portal contains resources for victims and witnesses and information on hate crimes and government organizations that can help. It is available in multiple languages, and the Attorney General’s Office has created a video tutorial to help users. If they need additional assistance, or assistive technology, people can also make a report by calling the state’s Hate Crimes Hotline at 1-866-481-8361.
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