Sixteen of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' 26 member agencies identified and reported the incidents of violence summarized in this report. Compared to a similar 1997 study, there was a modest decline in the number of reported anti-gay incidents in 1998, from 2,665 in 1997 to 2,552 in 1998 (4-percent decline). Comparable reductions were noted in the total reported numbers of victims, offenders, and crimes/offenses comprising each incident. The number of reporting agencies that documented increases in anti-gay violence in 1998 was equal to the number that reported decreases. Moreover, of the smaller total number of incidents that occurred, a larger proportion involved more serious and even extreme levels of violence. The number of weapons reported in assaults increased at an unprecedented pace. The gender, racial/ethnic, and other documented characteristics of both perpetrators and victims remained constant in 1998 compared to 1997. There was a 242-percent increase in incidents reported to have been committed by hate groups. Proportionately more acts were committed in 1998 by individuals who were relative strangers to their victims. Police response to anti-gay violence deteriorated, as rates of bias-crime classification, arrest, and the processing of complaints did not increase as much as did reported incidents. In many instances, police further victimized LGBT individuals. The recommendations presented are designed to foster cooperation by the LGBT community, the government, the media, business leaders, and religious organizations in developing strategies to respond to anti-gay violence as an epidemic. Extensive figures and a breakdown of statistics by jurisdiction