We need to speak up: Only 44% of those affected report discrimination
A recent study by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency shows that many victims of discrimination in Germany do not officially report their experiences. Accordingly, only 44% of respondents who have experienced discrimination actually file a complaint.
The study makes it clear that discrimination is a widespread phenomenon: millions of people report corresponding experiences in everyday life, for example at work, in contact with authorities or in public spaces. At the same time, a large part of these incidents remains invisible because more than half of those affected do not take formal steps.
The study cites, among other things, a lack of trust in the effectiveness of complaints, a lack of information about rights, and the fear of negative consequences as reasons for the low complaint rate. Many affected individuals therefore choose to accept discrimination or deal with it informally, rather than using official channels.
The results highlight a central challenge: although discrimination is legally prohibited, it is often not prosecuted. Experts see this as a structural problem, as a lack of reports leads to an underestimation of the true dimension of discrimination and makes countermeasures more difficult.
