The escalation of hate crime in recent years was examined at the Malta Student Psychology Forum, jointly organised by University psychology student organisation Betapsi and the National Student Travel Foundation (NSTF).
Referring to psychological studies, the students presented the most common motives of hate crime and its profound psychological effects on the victims. They spoke out about what can be done to stop hate crime and help to make a difference in society.
Social inclusion activist and law student Sara Ezabe stressed the importance of distinguishing between hate speech and freedom of speech and expressed the difficulty and the importance of discussing this topic from a psychological perspective.
NSTF secretary-general Francis Stivala said hate crime reflected an absence of values. It was the antithesis of values encompassed by University students who set up NSTF to encourage students to widen their horizons away from lecture rooms and beyond formal education.