According to statistics from Slovakia’s Ministry of the Interior, 68 crimes motivated by racial hatred or extremism were recorded last year. Experts, however, warn that the real number may be significantly higher, as many victims never report such incidents for a variety of reasons. Those targeted are often perceived as “different” because of their nationality, ethnic origin, religion, language, skin colour, or sexual orientation. But hate crimes do not affect only individual victims; they also reflect the state of society as a whole. In Slovakia, the Human Rights League provides accredited support to victims with the backing of the Ministry of Justice, offering legal assistance, social counselling, and, in cooperation with IPčko, psychological support. On the occasion of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on June 18, we spoke about the situation in Slovakia, the impact of hate crimes, and the support available to victims with Human Rights League lawyer and victim support programme coordinator Lukáš Novák, social worker Silvia Moravčíková, and IPčko psychologist Marianna Heřmánková.