What is discrimination?
Discrimination can take many forms and continues to affect people across society. It can be experienced in different ways, from individual acts of unfair treatment to wider patterns of prejudice and oppression that affect marginalised communities.
In this video, psychologist and therapist Nicoleta Porojanu (MSc, BSc Hons, GradDip Psy, PgDip ClinHyp) discusses the impact of discrimination and how counselling can help.
What is the Equality Act 2010?
In England, Scotland, and Wales, the Equality Act 2010 provides legal protection against certain forms of discrimination. It identifies nine protected characteristics, protecting people from discrimination related to these characteristics in situations covered by the law:
- age
- sex
- gender reassignment
- sexual orientation
- disability
- race, including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins
- religion or belief
- pregnancy and maternity
- marriage and civil partnership
Under the Act, you are protected from discrimination in the following instances:
- at work
- in education
- as a consumer
- when using public services
- when buying or renting a property
- as a member or guest of a private club or association
The Act also provides protection against certain forms of discrimination by association or perception. It protects people from victimisation for making a discrimination complaint or supporting someone else's complaint under the Act.
Forms of discrimination
There are a number of ways you can be discriminated against. These can include:
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination is when someone treats another person with a protected characteristic less favourably than others. For example, if you have the right qualifications for a job role, but you are turned down because you are ‘too young’ or ‘too old’.
Indirect discrimination
This is when a rule, policy or arrangement is in place that, while applying to everyone, puts someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage. Indirect discrimination can be more difficult to identify than direct discrimination, as to the majority it looks ‘normal’.
Intersectional discrimination
When several different types of discrimination combine to leave particular groups at an even greater disadvantage, this is described as intersectional discrimination. An example of this could be a woman from an ethnic minority group in the workplace. Discrimination against women could lead to lower pay than their male counterparts. Discrimination against an ethnic minority can also lead to her being paid less. These overlapping experiences can create particular disadvantages that may not be fully understood by looking at each characteristic separately.
Harassment
Under the Equality Act 2010, harassment involves unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic that violates someone's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. This may take the form of jokes, abuse, physical gestures, verbal or non-verbal behaviour, or offensive emails. If you're being harassed online, it may be referred to as cyberbullying.
Victimisation
This is when someone is treated poorly as a result of them complaining or reporting a discrimination offence or harassment. This also includes a person being victimised because they supported another victim of discrimination.
Association and perception
Discrimination can also come in the form of association and perception. 'By association' is when a person is treated unfairly because they know, or are associated with someone with a protected characteristic. For example, being refused entry to a bar or restaurant because their friend is of a particular race or religion. 'By perception' is any unfair treatment put on a person because someone thinks they belong to a particular group with protected characteristics.
What is hate crime?
A hate crime is a criminal offence motivated by, or involving hostility towards, someone because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. Hate crimes can take different forms, including threats, harassment, physical violence, and criminal damage. The following sections explain how different forms of hate crime and hate incidents can occur.
Racist and religious hate crime
A racial group refers to a group of people defined by their race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin. A religious group is a group of people who share the same religious beliefs, such as Christians, Muslims, and Hindus. It also includes people with no religious belief (such as atheists).
If the victim or anyone else thinks an incident was carried out due to hostility or prejudice against race or religion, it is regarded as a hate incident.
What types of incidents are considered racist or religious hate incidents?
Hate incidents can take many forms, such as verbal and physical abuse, online abuse, threatening behaviour, bullying, or property damage. They can be a one-off incident, or ongoing harassment or intimidation. They may be carried out by strangers, or by someone you know, like a carer, teacher, neighbour or friend.
When does a hate incident become a hate crime?
Racist or religious incidents are hate crimes when they become a criminal offence. Any criminal offence can be a hate crime if the incident occurred due to the offender being prejudiced or hostile towards you and your race or religion.
In England and Wales, the law addresses racially and religiously aggravated offences in two ways:
- Racially or religiously aggravated offences under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
- Other offences where racial or religious hostility must be treated as an aggravating factor when sentencing under the Sentencing Act 2020.
In both cases, racial or religious hostility can result in a more severe sentence, reflecting the seriousness of the offence.
Disability hate crime
If someone has been hostile or violent towards you because of your disability, it is considered a hate incident. Like racial and religious hate incidents, disability hate incidents can happen anywhere. You may know the offender, or they may be a stranger.
You can also be a victim of a disability hate incident, even if you don’t have a disability. If someone believes you have a disability, or you are associated with someone with a disability, for example, your child or a friend, you can be a victim of disability hate incidents.
LGBTQ+ hate crime
If someone has been violent or hostile towards you because of your sexual orientation, this is a homophobic hate incident. Hostility or violence directed at you because of your transgender identity is a transphobic hate incident.
Anyone can be the victim of a homophobic or transphobic hate incident. This includes people who are targeted because someone assumes they are LGBTQ+, or because of their association with someone who is.
The effects of discrimination
No one should be discriminated against, and yet, for many people, discrimination and prejudice are an everyday reality.
When another person mistreats, judges, or discriminates against you because of who you are or what you believe in, it can have a profound effect on your mental wellbeing and life experience.
What are the effects of discrimination on mental health?
Discrimination can affect a person’s mental health in a number of ways. Mental health charity Mind identifies experiences of discrimination, hate, and abuse as potential causes of stress.
Stress can affect health and, if untreated, can lead to a number of physical and mental health problems. Whether it is caused by a direct experience of discrimination, or because you are within a community or hold a characteristic that is commonly discriminated against, the pressure can be overwhelming. This kind of stress can be explained using the minority stress model.
What is minority stress?
Minority stress describes high levels of stress experienced by minority groups. The social research model was outlined by Meyer (2003) to help understand the effects that these groups may experience.
They identified that minority communities often face harassment, victimisation, maltreatment, and discrimination. These negative experiences may mean that oppressed groups are at greater risk of negative mental and physical health outcomes. The minority stress model helps identify disparities between communities and supports social change.
Prolonged stress can affect both physical and mental health. You may experience tiredness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, or changes in sleep. Ongoing stress can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and other health difficulties.
Of course, everybody deals with stress differently, and some of us can handle more pressure than others. However, it’s important you ask for help when you need it. A traumatic, violent attack can leave you fearing the outside world. Without the right support, further problems can develop, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Discrimination is a complex issue and may compound existing mental health struggles, or create new ones altogether. However, if it is affecting you, know that support is available.
So, what happens to the mind of a Black individual as a result of racial discrimination? Well, the Black person often lives in a constant state of anxiety, being vigilant for the next snub or attack. [They] find coping mechanisms to try and make sense of their oppression, without causing harm or discomfort to their white counterparts and can be subject to internalised racism.
Coping with discrimination
If you experience societal oppression and discrimination, it becomes a part of your life. As a society, we need to continuously work to eliminate hate and discrimination, but while we do this, it is essential that you look after yourself as best you can. Below are some ideas to help you cope with the effects of discrimination.
Have a support network
Discrimination can be isolating. As a victim, you may internalise the negativity you received, which can affect your self-esteem, self-belief, and self-worth. A support network can help you process these experiences, and friends and family can remind you of your worth and support you in the time after the event.
Talk to like-minded people
Support can come from other places, as well as your loved ones. There are groups and organisations that can help like-minded people come together and talk about their experiences. It can be reassuring to know you’re not alone in this, and connecting with these people can help you learn how to address and respond to experiences.
Focus on your reactions
Being a victim of discrimination can trigger a lot of strong emotions, often all at once. Feelings of hurt, anger, shame, and sadness can appear suddenly and influence your response. These experiences can also trigger a physical response, such as increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
Slow your breathing and practise other relaxation techniques to cope with the immediate stress response. Taking things slow will help you keep a clear head so you can respond from a place of intention.
Report hate crimes
If you have been affected by (or witnessed) a hate crime, it's important to report it if you feel able to. Taking positive action to stand up against hate can help you feel more in control. You can report hate crimes online.
Seek professional help
Discrimination can be very difficult to deal with, and needing extra support is nothing to be ashamed of. We all have our own ways to cope and a lot of the time, speaking to our loved ones is enough. Other times, however, professional help may be needed.
Finding support for discrimination
Discrimination is an experience that no one should have to go through. Often associated with mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression, further support and treatment are often recommended to help.
Talking to a trained counsellor can help. Working with a counsellor can help you understand what triggers your anxiety, how you can overcome past experiences and offer ways to cope day-to-day. There are many types of talking therapies available, and the most suitable approach will depend on your experiences and what you'd like support with.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may help with anxiety, stress, and unhelpful thought patterns associated with difficult experiences. Mindfulness practices may also help some people manage stress and anxiety.
Other types of therapy that may help include:
- Multicultural counselling modalities: these approaches can help specifically with systemic or societal discrimination.
- Trauma-focused therapy: may help people process traumatic experiences resulting from discrimination.
- Humanistic therapies: can offer a supportive space to explore personal experiences, identity, and emotions.
It’s important to bear in mind that what works for one person may not be right for another. If you’re ready to seek professional help and are interested in a particular therapy, do take your time and do your research. It might sound good on paper, but you may find that it’s not right for you.
If you're considering counselling, you can find a counsellor who supports people affected by discrimination. You can ask about their experience, approach, and what to expect from your sessions before deciding whether they're right for you.
