According to FBI crime data, there were 290 bias incidents reported in Oregon last year. The annual total has more than doubled since 2018. The number of victims also increased to 428 last year.
鈥淲e continue to hear anecdotally of people experiencing hate incidents and then fearing or being confused as to how to report them,鈥� said Kieran Ramsey, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon.
A hate crime is when a person鈥檚 motive towards harming another is based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
鈥淎dmittedly, not every hate incident is a hate crime, and not every hate crime is a federal hate crime,鈥� Ramsey said. 鈥淚f law enforcement doesn鈥檛 know about it, we can鈥檛 do anything about it.鈥�
The FBI has pushed its campaign on billboards in Medford, Corvallis, Eugene and at the Portland International Airport.
For the last several years, Oregon has tried to increase reporting of bias crimes and incidents. In 2019, Oregon lawmakers passed legislation that created .
Ramsey applauded the state鈥檚 efforts.
鈥淚 offer the FBI as a tool or a channel for people to report potential hate crimes too,鈥� Ramsey said.
Some people, he said, are 鈥渇earful鈥� to make a report with local police 鈥渇or whatever reason, they have a reticence to, and perhaps they鈥檙e more comfortable calling a national hotline.鈥�
The FBI can be reached at: 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at .
Oregon鈥檚 Bias Response Hotline is: 1-844-924-BIAS
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