Discriminatory violence

Acts of discriminatory violence, which target people because they belong to, or are perceived to belong to population groups that have a common characteristic such as their ethnic origin, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation, a disability, their age, their language, or the fact that they are homeless, are different from other crimes. Not only do they have a traumatic effect on the victims’ physical and mental health, but they also send a message to whole groups or communities, threatening them with violence and denying them the right to participate in society.

Discriminatory violence is not sufficiently taken into account in urban security policies. It is important to include the harmful effects of discrimination, exclusion and intolerance on peaceful coexistence in local communities as well as how they are linked and fuel polarisation and radicalisation leading to violent extremism.

Discriminatory violence directly undermines the founding values of democracy, social cohesion and citizens’ security as stated by the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Such violence has a devastating impact on many levels.

> Reports from the 2024 Security, Democracy and Cities conference:
– Discriminatory Violence
– Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

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European cooperation projects

• Preventing discriminations through sport  – SENTRY Sport (2021-2023)
• Local Young Leaders for Inclusion – LOUD (2019-2021)
• MATCH-SPORT (2019-2021)
• Just and Safer Cities for All – JUST (2015 – 2017)

Working group

Efus is coordinating a working group on  “Preventing Discriminatory Violence at the Local Level“, the purpose of which is to exchange knowledge, strategies and practices on how to better prevent and combat all forms of discriminatory violence. Learn more

Projects on the prevention of discriminatory violence in sport

For over 20 years, Efus has been leading or taking part in projects to prevent discriminatory violence in professional and amateur sport.

Sport brings together millions of people, regardless of their sex, colour, gender, age, nationality or religion. It breaks down barriers and builds bridges where boundaries usually exist. In other words, it has the potential to foster inclusion, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity, and also to promote social integration. Due to its welcoming and diverse nature, however, sport faces a number of challenges with regards to  incidences of racism and discrimination.

This is why Efus has been working to support local and regional authorities that host sports events in strengthening preventative and educational initiatives amateur sport to promote tolerance and non-discrimination. Efus has thus led or participated in projects on: preventing racism on the occasion of the Euro2000 football tournament; preventing violence stadia; collecting and disseminating local practices of prevention through sport in Europe, and preventing discriminatory violence in amateur sport. These projects are:

• SENTRY SPORT (2021-2023)
• MATCH SPORT (Make Amateur Sport Tolerant by Eliminating Racism and Discrimination) (2019-2020)
• SPORT + European prize for social integration through sport (2015-2016).
• GOAL (Gathering of all local forces to prevent violence in sporting events)(2009-2012)
• Euro 2000 cities against racism (2000)

> Positioning

In its 2025 Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto, Efus recommends that strategies to prevent and fight against discriminatory violence be fully integrated into overall urban security strategies, and that local and regional authorities “play an active role in the fight against discrimination, based on the legal and political frameworks defined by European and national governments.” Indeed, diversity should be considered an asset when designing local urban security strategies. Yet, vulnerable groups do not sufficiently participate in and contribute to the co-production of such strategies. The promotion and development of public spaces shared by a diverse population where the security of all is guaranteed encourages their participation and strengthens social cohesion. Efus also recommends increasing the diversity of local and regional authority personnel and improving cooperation with legal and law enforcement authorities in order to provide better care to victims.