Hate crimes are crimes committed because of hatred for members of certain social groups.  The premise of hate crimes legislation is that crimes committed from such motives are worse than other crimes.  Consider.

A man beats up a woman because he hates women.  Hate crime.

A man beats up a woman because she was promoted and he wasn’t; because he tried to steal her purse and she resisted; because he derives pleasure from inflicting pain on others; because she was seen in public without a head scarf; because the wife of another man paid him to do it; because he was ordered to do it by the leader of his gang; or because he was rioting and got caught up in the moment.  Not hate crimes.

Each of these acts is despicable.  But how is the first one worse than the other seven?  Answer:  It isn’t.