NEW EU FUndamental RIGHTs REPORT reveals: THE DISTURBING DANISH PARADOX
High Awareness, Yet Low Reporting of Racism and Discrimination in denmark
According to a new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA ) Denmark ranks fourth among the surveyed countries in terms of the highest levels of discrimination experienced on any ground, with 47% of respondents reporting discrimination in the 12 months before the survey and 61% reporting discrimination in the 5 years before the survey.
Of the various countries included in the survey, respondents in Denmark reported the highest rate of religious discrimination, with Austria having the second highest rate, as perceived by individuals of African descent within the past five years.
In Austria and Denmark, women are twice as likely as men to experience racial discrimination in education (42 % of women compared with 22 % of men in Austria, and 28 % of women compared with 15 % of men in Denmark). On average, the prevalence of racial discrimination at work does not substantially differ between women and men, although such differences appear at the country level. More women than men felt racially discriminated against at work in Denmark (34 % compared with 20 %) and France (22 % compared with 14 %). The opposite is observed in Italy (20 % for men and 8 % for women), Portugal (17 % compared with 11 %) and Spain (18 % compared with 9 %).
Awareness of equality bodies was highest in Denmark (67 %), Poland (64 %), France (57 %), Austria (53 %) and Sweden (52 %); the rates were lower in Luxembourg (19 %), Spain (20 %), Italy (23 %) and Germany (28 %). There is, however, no clear correlation between awareness of equality bodies and reporting rates. For example, while two thirds of respondents of African descent in Denmark (67 %) are aware of an equality body, only one in 10 respondents (10 %) who had felt discriminated against reported such incidents to any authority.
In the 5 years before the survey, some 4 % of respondents experienced racist violence. The highest rates are in Finland (11 %), Germany (9 %) and Denmark (8 %). Some 2 % of respondents experienced a physical attack that they perceive as racially motivated in the 12 months before the survey.
On average 4 % of all respondents indicate that they experienced racist violence – that is, one or more physical attacks – in the 5 years before the survey. The results vary greatly across Member States, with the highest 5-year rate of racist physical violence recorded for respondents in Finland (11 %), Germany (9 %) and Denmark (8 %). The victimisation rates are lowest in Portugal and Italy
In most EU countries for which data are available, respondents of African descent experienced fewer police stops in 2022 than the general population in 2019. Exceptions were Denmark and Spain. The rates of police stops among people of African descent were also lower in 2022 than in 2016 in all countries for which data were available, except Denmark, Ireland and Sweden.
Between 2016 and 2022, the rate of perceived discriminatory ethnic profiling among respondents whom the police stopped in the 5 years before the survey increased in five countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and Ireland)
When asked about anti-discrimination legislation, the majority (75 %) of respondents know that ‘there is a law that forbids discrimination based on skin colour, ethnic origin or religion’ in the country where they live. However, results differ considerably across Member States, ranging from over 80 % in Denmark, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden to 34 % in Portugal and Spain and 25 % in Italy. There are no major differences in awareness levels with regard to respondents’ gender or age, but level of education and length of stay in the survey country improve respondents’ awareness of anti- discrimination legislation.
FRA’s second ‘Being Black in the EU’ report highlights experiences of people of African descent in the EU. It shows that, despite binding anti-discrimination law in the EU since 2000 and significant policy developments since then, people of African descent continue to face racism, discrimination and hate crime:
Racial discrimination – 45% of respondents say they experienced racial discrimination in the 5 years before the survey, an increase compared to 39% in FRA’s last survey. In Germany and Austria, it goes over 70%. Most often, they are discriminated against when looking for work or searching for accommodation. Young people and people with higher education are most affected. Yet, discrimination remains invisible as only 9% report it.
Harassment – 30% say they experienced racist harassment but almost no one reports it. Young women, people with higher education and those wearing religious clothing are more likely to be racially harassed.
Racial profiling – 58% say that their most recent police stop in the year before the survey was a result of racial profiling. Those who perceive their stop as racial profiling trust the police much less.
Work – 34% felt racially discriminated against when looking for a job and 31% at work in the 5 years before the survey. Compared to people generally, they are more likely to have only temporary contracts and are over-qualified for their job.
Housing and poverty – rising inflation and cost of living have put more people of African descent at higher risk of poverty, compared to the general population. Some 33% face difficulties to make ends meet and 14% cannot afford to keep their house warm, compared with 18% and 7% of people generally. Simply finding a place to live is a struggle for many, with 31% saying they were racially discriminated against when trying to find accommodation.
Education – young people of African descent are three times more likely to leave school early, compared to young people generally. More parents in 2022 say that their children experienced racism at school than in 2016.
To tackle racism and discrimination effectively, FRA calls on EU countries to:
properly enforce anti-discrimination legislation as well as effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions;
identify and record hate crimes, and consider bias motivation as an aggravating circumstance when determining penalties;
collect equality data, including on ‘ethnic or racial origin’ to assess the situation and monitor progress;
ensure that equality bodies have the necessary mandates and resources to tackle discrimination and support victims;
take steps to prevent and eradicate discriminatory institutional practices and culture in policing, drawing on FRA’s guide on preventing unlawful profiling;
develop specific policies to address racism and racial discrimination in education, employment, housing and healthcare.
This report is part of FRA’s third EU-wide survey looking at experiences of immigrants and descendants of immigrants across the EU.
It analyses the responses of over 6,700 people of African descent living in 13 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Quote of FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty:
“It is shocking to see no improvement since our last survey in 2016. Instead, people of African descent face ever more discrimination just because of the colour of their skin. Racism and discrimination should have no place in our societies. The EU and its Member States should use these findings to better target their efforts and ensure people of African descent too can enjoy their rights freely without racism and discrimination.”
For more, please see the findings Q&A or contact: media@fra.europa.eu / Tel.: +43 1 580 30 653
