What is racism?

Racism is a still growing phenomenon in the world. Racism is the idea that people is subdivided in different groups by race and that there are hierarchical relations between these races. It means that certain races are considered as superior to others.

Racism is in a broader sense close related to actions as discrimination, oppression, xenophobia etc. and in this sense different kinds of discrimination regarding matters of culture, religious, ethnical origins political orientation are labelled as racism. Racism also include insulting and degrading expressions or remarks about certain groups of people, which can be seen in the virtual world, e.g. on the internet, but also on the political scene.

Racism or ethnical discrimination is causing strong emotions among most people. We associate these kinds of actions with e.g. Hitler?s Nazi ideology in Germany, the oppressive apartheid system in South Africa or the war with ethnical cleansings in Bosnia in the context of the bloody collapse of Yugoslavia.

There is also the phenomenon cultural/religious racism or discrimination. It looks like the traditional form of racism because it also leads to hierarchical relations between religions and cultures. In the West, classification of cultures and religions is used to justify negative discrimination as in racial difference. There is e.g. during the past 10-15 years escalated a smear campaign against the Islamic world in the wake of the terrorist attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11^th, 2001, and the debate is often crude and being generalized. In this context, Islam is labelled as an evil religion, which is oppressive and in compatible with other societies.  

We must unfortunately admit that racism and discrimination are present in the Danish society too. Hereby foreigners, immigrants, refugees or Danes with ethnic background are victims of either racism or discrimination, which induce strong feelings, e.g. defamation, frustration, depression, anger, despair, impotence, lack of self-esteem etc. The Danish refugee and immigration policy, during the past 10 years, has undergone significant tightening and many would argue that this policy is too tough and inhuman, and is actually racist and discriminatory. The Danish refugee and immigration policy expresses a hidden agenda behind the tough tightening, since it says between the lines that refugees and immigrants are not welcome in Denmark. In this context, the abovementioned policy is not characterized by integration but rather an expression of assimilation (make equal) and segregation (separation or isolation). In this, refugees and immigrants must become ?Danes? in a way which means that their native background disappear in time or ?let? different groups of refugees and immigrants isolate themselves and thereby separate themselves from the surrounding society because they do not feel accepted or respected.

Have you been exposed to or victims of racism and discrimination?

If you have been a victim of racism, discrimination, and xenophobia you can get help, information, and advice here at Indvandrerrådgivningen.

It is of course an individual choice whether or not he/she will report the racism and discrimination attacks. It might seems like a trifle but if people do not register or report the racism and discrimination the racism and discrimination, in the long run never, will never ends.

On the website you are able to register racism and discrimination due to one or several of the following causes:

• Age
• Gender
• Race/ Skin colour/ Ethnical origins
• Handicap
• Religion/ faith
• Political belief
• Sexual orientation

We are your "Watch Dog"

We are your "Watch Dog" (representative), and we will help you report racism and discrimination to the police. Do not hesitate.

Notification of racism or reporting racism

- call tel. +45 50141816 & Tlf. + 45 26223611

- or download our report form here.

- You can report racism by contacting a police station.

- read more about how to report racism and discrimination here.