Discriminatory Abuse

This form of abuse can be experienced as violence, harassment, insults or similar actions due to race, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability and sexual orientation (protected characteristics), and is often referred to as a “hate crime”.

Discriminatory abuse can also link into all other forms of abuse when values, beliefs or culture result in a misuse of power or denial of mainstream opportunities to some groups or individuals because of their protected characteristics. Excluding a person from activities or services on the basis they are “not liked” is also discriminatory abuse.

As a result, the signs of discriminatory abuse might be associated to acts of other forms of abuse listed above, but may also include:

• Signs of a sub-standard service offered to an individual
• Deliberate exclusion from rights afforded to others
• Rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage
• Unequal treatment
• Inappropriate use of language
• Lack of respect
• Verbal abuse
• Slurs
• Bullying and harassment

People become marginalised by discriminatory abuse, and the mental and physical effects of discrimination are vast. Individuals may begin to suffer from anxiety or depression because of their treatment. Others may even reject their own cultural background and/or racial origin or other personal beliefs, sexual practices or lifestyle choices in order to “fit in”.