Newly-released data indicates that hate crime incidents targeting people with disabilities are on the rise.

There were 177 reported hate crime offenses stemming from disability bias in 2018, according to figures out this week from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. By comparison, there were 128 similar offenses the year prior.

The Uniform Crime Reporting Program is based on data submitted by law enforcement agencies across the country on incidents motivated by disability as well as race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The latest report includes statistics submitted by over 16,000 law enforcement agencies.

In total, the FBI report indicated that there were 7,120 hate crime incidents in 2018, down just slightly from 7,175 in 2017. Some 2.1 percent of victims were targeted because of their disability, officials said.

Of the disability-related offenses logged, 110 targeted those with mental disabilities while 67 affected those with physical disabilities, the FBI said.

Read more stories like this one. Sign up for Disability Scoop's free email newsletter to get the latest developmental disability news sent straight to your inbox.