On October 31, I testified at a hearing held by the New York City Council Committee on Civil Rights regarding the recent rise in anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) crimes in New York City. Through the middle of August, the New York Police Department had reported 68 anti-gay hate crimes this year -- including 41 assaults and two murders -- up from 54 in all of 2012. I noted that as government officials, we have a responsibility to protect our city and its citizens from such vicious, bias-motivated attacks, which send a powerful and fear-inducing message to all members of the targeted community. Please see my testimony below.