Annex

Annex – Glossary

Discrimination

Direct discrimination

Direct discrimination is defined as the situation where a person is treated less favourably on a ground prohibited by law (e.g. skin colour, gender or religion).

Indirect discrimination

Indirect discrimination occurs when an apparently neutral rule disadvantages a person or a group sharing the same characteristics.

Multiple and intersectional discrimination

Multiple discrimination occurs when discrimination is based on several prohibited grounds operating separately. Intersectional discrimination describes a situation where several grounds operate and interact with each other simultaneously in such a way that they are inseparable and produce specific types of discrimination.

Hate crime

Hate crimes are “criminal acts motivated by bias or prejudice towards particular groups of people. A hate crime therefore comprises two distinct elements: it is an act that constitutes an offence under criminal law; and in committing the crime, the perpetrator acts on the basis of prejudice or bias” (ODIHR 2009b:15)17. The other characteristic of hate crimes is that the impact of the offence exceeds the actual victims. They concern the whole group with which this victim identifies and can cause a social division between the victim group and society in general. Therefore, they present a particular danger to society.

17- Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (2009). Les crimes de haine : Prévention et Réponses Guide de référence pour les ONG de la zone OSCE.

Hate speech

Hate speech is the advocacy of hatred based on one of the prohibited grounds. Hate speech includes all public expressions that propagate, incite, promote or justify hatred, discrimination or hostility towards a specific group.

Discriminatory violence

Discriminatory violence includes not only incidents perpetrated by offenders belonging to radical groups or with clear extremist motivations. On the contrary, the most widespread and therefore probably most threatening forms of discriminatory violence can pass for very ordinary, everyday events. Nevertheless, these ‘minor’ acts can create a profound sense of insecurity, mistrust and fear among other members of the affected communities, with serious adverse effects on social cohesion and public health. Discriminatory violence is directly linked to other major urban security challenges, such as radicalisation, polarisation and violent extremism.

Radicalisation leading to violence

Radicalisation leading to violence is a process whereby people adopt extremist belief systems, including the willingness to use, encourage or facilitate violence, designed to promote an ideology, political project or cause as a means of social transformation.18

18- For more information, see Efus (2016). Preventing and Fighting Radicalisation at the Local Level

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LOUD – When local authorities and young people from nine European cities mobilise against intolerance and extremism

Manifestations of discriminatory violence, polarisation and hate speech are on the rise across Europe in both the online and offline spheres and pose a real threat to citizen safety, social cohesion and integration. Local authorities are well placed to tackle these worrying trends as they are close to the ground and can mobilise citizens, in particular the young, to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence as part of their integrated local crime prevention and security strategies.

This publication outlines the importance of mobilising young people in local initiatives and strategies to fight against discrimination based on the experience of the LOUD project and gives local authorities practical tools and recommendations to use alternative narrative campaigns as a means to foster young local citizens’ participation and partnerships with relevant local stakeholders.