Stanford safety report shows sharp rise in hate crimes and thefts in 2023

Reports of hate crimes and motorized vehicle theft rose significantly for the 2023 calendar year, according to the 2024 Safety, Security and Fire Report released by the Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) in late September. 

Laura Wilson, the chief of police for SUDPS, wrote in the report that the department works to “provide a safe, secure environment that respects and encourages freedom of expression, the safe movement of people and the protection of life and property.”

Overall, there was a rise in reports of many types of crimes in 2023, including thefts, assaults and hate crimes compared to reports made a year prior. Arrests made pertaining to drug, weapon or liquor laws fell slightly between the two years.

Hate crimes

A total of 24 hate crimes were reported in 2023, a sharp rise from the seven reported in 2022 and the two in 2021. Of these 24 instances, many were cases of antisemitism, with 11 cases of vandalism involving swastikas and one act of vandalism involving a Star of David. There were also cases of one removed and one stolen mezuzah, a sacred Jewish symbol. Additionally, there were two cases of intimidation, one in which a student saw a swastika and a figure of Hitler drawn on a whiteboard on their door, In another case of intimidation where a research fellow found a swastika and the word “Nazi” written in a layer of dust on their window. One instance of aggravated assault involved a reported hit-and-run where someone struck a pedestrian with their vehicle and yelled statements against the victim’s national origin.

The other seven hate crime reports involved five against national origin mainly surrounding the Israel-Gaza war, two against race and one against sexual orientation. 

Sex offenses, domestic violence and stalking

A total of 69 reported sex offenses occurred in 2023, which included 31 rapes, 29 instances of fondling and four statutory rapes — three of which were reported in 2023 but occurred over 10 years ago. These numbers rose from the 59 total sex offenses reported in 2022 and the 44 reported in 2021. While domestic violence cases fell to 13 in 2023 from 16 the year prior, reports of stalking increased to 55 in 2024, up from 41 in 2022 and 30 in 2021. 

Aggravated assaults

The number of reported aggravated assaults rose slightly to 21 in 2023 from 20 in 2022 and 16 in 2021. Of the 21, two occurred in student residences, a decrease from the nine reported each year in 2021 and 2022.

Campus arrests

In 2023, 16 campus arrests were made, 10 relating to drug violations and six for weapon possession. These numbers decreased from 2022, which saw 14 drug-related arrests and seven weapon possession arrests. While previous years also saw arrests made on liquor law crimes, 2023 saw zero arrests pertaining to this matter, which has not occurred since 2018.

Burglaries and motorized vehicle thefts

Thefts rose nearly 23% from 175 in 2022 to 215 in 2023. Of these reports made in 2023, motor vehicle thefts accounted for 187 of them, a 25.5% increase from 149 in 2022. The 187 motor vehicle theft reports involved 104 e-bikes, 41 electric scooters, 29 golf carts, 10 automobiles, two motorcycles and one skateboard, according to the crime report.  

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