Anti-Discrimination Office

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The HSNR takes discrimination, violence and abuse of power very seriously and does not tolerate them. It is therefore important to it that people who it believes have experienced such stressful situations have a variety of options for receiving support and counselling.

Do you need support in relation to discrimination? In addition to its own anti-discrimination office, there are many contact points at The Hochschule Niederrhein that can offer you support and counselling.

• the AGG counselling and complaints office
• the Equal Opportunities Officer
• the family service
• the representative of the severely disabled
• the staff councils
• the Psychosocial Counselling Centre
• the occupational safety and fire protection officer
• the company doctor

Also the

• University management (President, Chancellor, Vice Presidents),
• the deans,
• the heads of department or
• other managers and other supervisors with a duty of care (e.g. training managers)

are available for initial counselling in these cases.

Multidimensional discrimination describes the disadvantaging of people on the basis of several overlapping grounds of discrimination. In contrast to a "single" form of discrimination, several dimensions of discrimination act simultaneously, which are reinforced by the interplay of social power and power relations. When several dimensions of discrimination are intertwined, this is referred to as intersectionality.

Can you not clearly assign your case to one of the categories mentioned here?

In such cases, please contact the Anti-Discrimination Office.

External offers:

• Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
• ARIC NRW e.V.
• Hate Aid (digital discrimination & violence)
• Counselling for academics

Sexualised discrimination describes the disadvantaging, devaluation and/or exclusion of people based on their gender and gender identity using sexualised means. It can manifest itself in language, gestures, looks, actions or structural conditions. It is not only about individual misconduct, but also about social power and domination relationships that tolerate, normalise and encourage sexualised comments, assaults and representations. The term sexism encompasses various forms of discrimination, violence and abuse of power against the female gender and against people who do not conform to the prevailing gender norms.

Please contact

• the Gender Equality
• the anti-discrimination centre

External services:

• Women's counselling centre Krefeld
• Women's advice centre Mönchengladbach
• Helpline for women
• Helpline for men
• Dickstinction (ad against dickpics)

Heteronormativism is based on the idea of a binary gender system and includes discrimination based on gender and gender identity (sexism), discrimination based on sexual orientation (heterosexism) and discrimination against people whose assigned sex at birth does not match their gender identity (cissexism).

Please contact

• the Equality
• the PrideProgess@HSNR network
• the AStA Queer Department
• the anti-discrimination office

External offers:

• True Colours: Counselling for queer young adults in Mönchengladbach (up to the age of 26)
• together virtuell: Counselling for queer people in Krefeld
• Rubicon Cologne: Counselling services for LGBTIQ+ people
• Queer Handicap e.V.: Association for LGBTIQ+ people with disabilities

Discrimination in connection with family and work-life balance means that people are disadvantaged or excluded because, for example, they have children, care for relatives or have to adapt their working hours to family responsibilities. This form of discrimination can affect all genders.

Please contact

• the family service
• the Equal Opportunities
• the anti-discrimination office

External offers:

• Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
• ArbeitnehmerHilfe e.V.

Racism includes discrimination based on ascribed racialised characteristics such as skin colour, hair colour and structure, nationality, migration history, religion, ethnicity and descent as well as language.

Anti-Semitism refers to discrimination against Jews on the basis of their religious affiliation and world view. Antisemitism harbours many other forms of antisemitic discrimination, such as right-wing, left-wing, cultural, social, nationalist, religious, anti-Zionist and secondary antisemitism.

Racism is based on prevailing colonial constructions and can take different forms, e.g. against Black people, People of Colour, people with a history of migration and refugees. Anti-Muslim racism refers to discrimination against people who are perceived as Muslim, regardless of whether they belong to the Muslim faith. This form of racism combines religious, cultural and often ethnic attributions. People with an Asian migration history experience discrimination due to an ascribed Asian origin. Antiziganism describes discrimination against Sinti*zze and Rom*nja. People with a history of immigration from Eastern Europe are affected by anti-Slavism and anti-European racism.

Colourism includes discrimination based on the external characteristic of skin colour. The hierarchisation of white people and the devaluation of black people are viewed in a more differentiated way through colourism.

Please contact:

• the AStA Anti-Discrimination Unit
• the anti-discrimination office

External offers:

• ADIRA - anti-discrimination counselling and intervention in cases of anti-Semitism and racism
• Victim counselling Rhineland
• Sabra: Counselling in cases of anti-Semitism and racism
• BackUp: Counselling for victims of right-wing extremist, racist and anti-Semitic violence
• Counselling for refugees in Mönchengladbach
• Counselling for refugees in Krefeld
• Counselling for discrimination against Muslim women: Action alliance of Muslim women

Bodyism refers to power relations within society based on body-related characteristics such as disability, age, attractiveness and physical constitution, which are based on hegemonic body and beauty norms.

Ableism refers to discrimination against people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. Deviation from the normality requirements of certain physical, mental, psychological or intellectual abilities is socially sanctioned with devaluation, hierarchisation and exclusion from social participation. This form of discrimination manifests itself, for example, in a lack of accessibility, ableist language or the assumption that those affected are less capable.

Please contact

• the representative for disabilities and chronic illnesses
• the AStA Disability Unit
• the anti-discrimination office

External offers:

• Suse hilft: Empowerment of women and girls with disabilities
• Queer Handicap e.V.: Counselling for LGBTIQ+ with disabilities
• Tess:Telephone interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing people
• Self-determined autistic e.V.

Bodyisms describe power relations within society based on body-related characteristics such as disability, age, attractiveness and physical constitution, which are based on hegemonic body and beauty norms.

Age discrimination affects older people (ageism) on the one hand and younger people (adultism) on the other. This form of discrimination is often based on the assumption that people either do not yet or no longer possess certain abilities due to their age.

Lookism describes discrimination based on appearance. Lookism is caused by hegemonic ideal standardised images of, for example, body shape and appearance, body weight, skin texture, clothing, hair, teeth and appearance; external characteristics are used as a basis for evaluation.

Please contact

• the AStA Anti-Discrimination Department
• the anti-discrimination office

External offers:

• Office against Age Discrimination e. V.
• Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency

Classism is a form of oppression and discrimination based on social origin and class. Classisms are relations of domination that are maintained on the basis of social origin, education and occupation. They not only affect economic conditions, but also include other areas of society. It limits access to housing, education, healthcare, participation, recognition, social networks, power and wealth.

Please contact

• the social counselling service of the AStA
• the anti-discrimination centre

External offers:

• Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency

If you have experienced or observed discrimination on the part of someone employed at the HSNR, you are always free to seek confidential counselling and/or file a formal complaint with the HSNR's AGG Advice and Complaints Office.

• to the complaints office

What is discrimination, violence and abuse of power?

Discrimination is understood to mean the disadvantaging and devaluation of a person on the basis of attributions or (supposed) identity affiliations. Discrimination has many faces.

The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) specifies the following characteristics worthy of protection on the basis of which people can be subject to discrimination:

• Ethnic origin and racist attributions

• Gender (also includes non-binary, trans* and inter* people)

• Sexual identity

• Religion or belief or non-affiliation to both

• Disability

• Age

To be added (not only) for the university context:

• Social background or social status

• Family status

• Chronic illnesses

• Physical appearance

"Discrimination is the disadvantaging of people on the basis of a characteristic worthy of protection [...]. The decisive factor for discrimination is the result, not the motive (intention, thoughtlessness, general administrative practice, etc.)" (Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency 2019).

Discrimination exists when the same is treated unequally or when people with unequal preconditions are treated equally. It becomes visible in direct discrimination based on the aforementioned characteristics, for example when a student is denied the right to wear a headscarf at university. It is also present in indirect discrimination, where seemingly neutral procedures put groups of people at a concrete disadvantage, for example when a student in a wheelchair is barred from accessing university rooms at certain times because the electricity for the lifts is switched off for cost reasons. (Sexual) harassment is also discriminatory, for example when a student is insulted by lecturers and students because of their homosexuality.

In addition to discrimination, violence and abuse of power are independent but often interlinked forms of unequal treatment and assaults that are deeply rooted in social power relations. Violence is any form of violation of a person's physical, psychological and sexual integrity and can take many forms: from physical, psychological to sexualised, symbolic and digital violence. Abuse of power occurs when a person and/or institution exploits their position of power and dependency to harm, disadvantage or subjugate others. Abuse of power can enable or reinforce discrimination and violence in the first place, especially when people are in a relationship of dependency and there are no effective protection or complaints structures in place. Discrimination can be both a cause and a consequence of violence and abuse of power: People who are socially marginalised or stigmatised are more likely to be affected by violence. Violence, in turn, is often justified or concealed with discriminatory motives, for example when those affected are not taken seriously due to discriminatory assumptions.

Effective protection against discrimination, violence and abuse of power therefore requires an intersectional and power-critical understanding that recognises individual experiences in their structural conditions and aims to strengthen both preventative and interventional measures.

Discrimination, violence and abuse of power must not go unnoticed, neither if you are affected yourself nor if you observe it in others. Take action, seek support, talk about it and contact the relevant contact points.

1. you are experiencing discrimination:

Discrimination can be very distressing, so prioritise your well-being and safety. Take your subjective perceptions and feelings seriously. You have a right to protection and support. What you have experienced counts and that is crucial. Try to remain calm and assess the situation. Don't expect yourself to have the perfect response ready straight away. Think about what would be good for you at that moment: perhaps keep your distance, leave the place or set clear boundaries, e.g. with a clear "Stop!". If possible, secure evidence or ask people who witnessed the incident for support.

2. you have experienced discrimination:

Find a safe space and get support. Contact someone you trust and tell them what happened. You do not have to bear what has happened alone. In the case of physical assaults, it can be helpful to document injuries with the help of first aiders. Write down details of what happened in a memory log as soon as possible. It can be useful to involve witnesses for a later complaint. Use counselling and support services to plan your next steps: you decide whether you want to file a complaint, mediation, confrontation, press charges, focus on your psychosocial wellbeing or do none of the above.

3. you have observed and/or can testify to discrimination:

Stay alert and show that you noticed what happened. Name what you have seen or heard so that you remain capable of taking action. Support those affected directly if the situation allows it. Speak to the person concerned and ask how you can help. Respect if the person does not want to do or say anything at the moment. Listen without judging or relativising. Do not take any further steps without the consent of the person concerned! It is best to document your experience and/or make a memory log. Even as a support person, what has happened can be stressful - in this case you can also make use of counselling services. It is not a betrayal, but solidarity to take a stand against discrimination, violence and abuse of power, even if there are reactions within the system. In this way, you can be an important part of justice, protection and change!