The Mayor's Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes says the rise in anti-Asian attacks may get worse before getting better.

"When you see people in fear, then you see an acting out and it often results in hate incidents," says Deborah Lauter, director of the Mayor's Office for Hate Crime Prevention.

The NYPD reports 39 anti-Asian hate crimes so far this year, compared to 28 in all of 2020.

The underreporting of hate incidents is a problem, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

An 89-year-old Chinese American grandmother was set on fire in Brooklyn last year. Gonzalez says she did not immediately report it.

Law enforcement is only one facet of the response. The Mayor's Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes has brought together 18 city agencies for focus groups on enhancing bias reporting and victim support.

Some resources and programs include the Stop Asian Hate Tool Kit.

The city is working on a school curriculum on hate crimes to be rolled out in the fall. They believe an increase in education will lead to an increase in support as part of a long-term solution.