In the context of the global COVID-19 crisis, there have been unprecedented increases in hate speech, stigma, discrimination, and xenophobia. The UN Guidance Note on Addressing and Countering COVID-19 Related Hate Speech notes increases in hate speech against individuals and groups in the form of scapegoating, stereotyping, stigmatizing, or using derogatory, misogynistic, racist, or xenophobic language.

In the United States of America, a report by Human Rights Watch finds that President Trump’s use of the term “Chinese virus” and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s use of “Wuhan virus” may have been a contributing factor to the rise in the use of hate speech against Asian-Americans. On March 19, 2020, a coalition of Asian-American groups created a hate speech reporting center, STOP AAPI HATE. On April 24, 2020, the coalition reported that it said it had received almost 1,500 reports of discrimination related to COVID-19 from Asian Americans across the country, including cases of verbal harassment, shunning and physical assaults.

Explore the data in the dashboard to learn more.