Xenophobia: the fear of those who come “from outside”; understand what the term means

For UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) of the United Nations, xenophobia is defined as “attitudes, prejudices and behaviors that reject, exclude and defame people based on the perception that they are foreign to the national community or society”. 

Author Cecília De La Garza explains that xenophobia "comes from the Greek concept composed of xenos ('foreign') and phobos ('fear')" and it is an ideology “which consists of the rejection of cultural identities that are different from one’s own”, being, therefore, an express discrimination that “is based on historical, religious, cultural and national prejudices”.

And why are there xenophobic people?

In an article published in JusBrasil, the lawyer specializing in Criminal Law and Criminology, Paula Cristina Carvalho Rezende, says that “xenophobes believe they have some type of superiority due to their origins and using their pre-conceived concepts will justify their acts of discrimination”.

A xenophobia and racism can also go together.

The author argues that “while the racist discriminates based on a biological factor (skin color), the xenophobe, in addition to the biological factor, discriminates against all those who are not from the same people and/or the same cultural origins”.

“Discrimination resulting from prejudice, just like a disease, presents different symptoms, and it is unlikely that a xenophobe will only have prejudice due to racial issues, or cultural issues, for example; It is almost always a tangle of justifications for an illusion of superiority”, adds the lawyer.

A xenophobia It is, therefore, in its concept, a reprehensible attitude and contrary to the movement in defense of human rights and the idea of ​​universal citizenship:

“OUR TRUE NATIONALITY IS HUMANITY”.
– HG WELLS –

Is xenophobia a crime?

Yes! Since 1997, cases of xenophobia are considered crimes in Brazil.

before, the Law No. 7.716 of January 5, 1989 recognized racism, but only with discrimination or prejudice based on race or color.

The Law of No. 9.459 of May 13, 1997 changed the original text (of Law No. 7.716) and now refers to “crimes resulting from discrimination or prejudice based on race, color, ethnicity, religion or national origin”.

The punishment is from one to three years in prison and fine. It is worth remembering that if the crime is committed in virtual environments, the penalty may be greater, a period of two to five years.

To report a case of xenophobia, victims should especially look for police stations specializing in racist crimes. The initial contact with the Civil police can also be done over the phone 197.

@curtonews You've probably seen the case of xenophobia by the Caxias do Sul councilor. But do you know what xenophobia is? O #CurtoNews ♬ original sound – Curto News

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