Have you experienced xenophobia, or do you know a victim of xenophobia?
Xenophobia
A xenophobic hate crime is a criminal offence that is motivated by a bias, hostility or prejudice towards people due to their actual or perceived descent, national or ethnic origin. In general is an attitude, prejudice or behaviour that rejects, excludes and often vilifies a person or a group, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners to the community, society or national identity.
What to do if you witness a xenophobic hate crime or if you know someone who is a victim:
- Call the police
- Alert people around you
- If it is safe for you to do so, attempt to intervene
- Even if you don’t inform the police as the crime is happening, you can still report it later and come forward as a witness
- Let the victim know that you support them, let them talk about what they’ve experienced and direct them towards additional support.
When talking to the victim of a crime:
- Listen attentively and let them know you believe them
- Be compassionate and patient, respect their feelings and choices
- Tell them you are sorry to hear about the event and that you want to help
- Do not minimise what they have experienced, tell them to move on or to stay silent or suggest that it may have been their fault.
Witnessing a crime can be traumatic, talk to people close to you and reach out for support.
Keep your eyes open to the different types of xenophobia.
Assault
Xenophobic assault involves harming (physically or psychologically) another person due to the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners to the community, society or national identity.
Incitement to xenophobic violence or hatred
Incitement to xenophobic discrimination, prejudice, hostility and hatred against a person as well as against those (perceived to) share the same characteristics of the person.
Harassment
Xenophobic harassment is conduct related to racial or ethnic origin with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Get support
3 organisations found.
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Bílý kruh bezpečí (BKB)
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Centrum nové naděje
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Probační a mediační služba
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The rights of victims’ family members
Many of the rights that apply to victims also apply to their family members, such as the right to access support services, the right to protection and the right to privacy.
Right to protection and to individual assessment
Victims and their family members have the right to be protected from secondary and repeat victimisation, intimidation, retaliation and emotional harm. The purpose of individual assessment is to identify whether victims have specific protection needs and to determine whether and to what extent they would benefit from special measures in the course of criminal proceedings. The dignity of victims must be protected when they are testifying.
Right to participate in criminal proceedings
Victims have the right to take part in criminal proceedings.
Right to support services
All victims have the right to confidential victim support services that is free of charge, acting in the interests of the victims before, during and for an appropriate time after criminal proceedings.
Right to information
Victims have the right to receive information on a range of topics including, but not limited to, what support is available and how to access it, compensation, restorative justice, protection, how to report criminal offences and how to access legal advice.
Right to understand and to be understood
Victims have the right to be heard, understood and respected. All communication with victims (written and spoken) must be simple and easy for them to understand.
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