Figures released by the Executive Office yesterday provide an insight into scale of racist attitudes in our society.
According to the Good Relations Indicator Report, there were 576 sectarian and 609 racially motivated hate crimes in 2017/18 - the first year that the number of racist hate crimes was greater than the level of sectarian offences.
What can be said from a positive perspective is that both figures are down on the previous year, with 51 fewer racist and 118 fewer sectarian hate crimes.
However, the fact that any such incidents are taking place at all is a depressing reflection of the level of intolerance that exists in Northern Ireland today.
Behind the statistics are stories of families left traumatised, terrified and living in fear, which is absolutely unacceptable.
The number of racially motivated hate crimes effectively means that two such incidents are taking place every day, which is alarming.
This week alone provided stark examples of this type of despicable conduct.
On Tuesday evening, a window in a house in Primacy Park, Bangor was smashed and racist graffiti sprayed on a gable wall in an attack that police are treating as a hate crime.
This atrocious incident has been rightly condemned but the problem lies with those who believe they have the right to target someone because of their race, colour or where they were born.
Also on Tuesday night, an immigrant family in Moyard Gardens, Greenisland in Co Antrim was targeted in disgusting way when someone sprayed urine through their letterbox and into their hall.
Police believe the motivation for this vile act was 'simply because of where the residents come from.'
It is difficult to fathom the mindset of the person responsible for this revolting behaviour and while the vast majority of people will be appalled, the question is how we reach those who think it is fine to attack migrant families.
As the latest figures show, much more work is needed to address the intolerance that drives hate crimes.
