Reports of hate crimes have been steadily increasing over the past several years, particularly against certain groups; there were reports of 6,121 incidents in 2016 and 7,175 incidents in 2017 (a 17 percent increase). Hate crime experts are unsure if this increase reflects a rise in hate incidents, a willingness on the part of victims to report, or better reporting practices by law enforcement (or a combination of these factors); regardless, these crimes have lasting and far-reaching effects for victims, their communities, and for the nation.