Discrimination occurs when people are treated unequally or unfairly because certain characteristics are attributed to them, regardless of their behaviour or performance. Such characteristics may relate to, for example, origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, language or appearance.

Discrimination can be:

- direct, i.e. open and recognisable, or

- indirect, when certain regulations or structures do not immediately disadvantage people in a visible way.

Example: A student systematically receives poorer assessments during an internship, even though their performance is comparable to that of others. The supervising doctor repeatedly makes derogatory remarks about their gender.

Multiple discrimination occurs when a person is disadvantaged on the basis of several characteristics. The discrimination can occur either:

- simultaneously or

- in succession in different situations.

Example: A non-binary student with a disability experiences both derogatory comments about their gender expression and structural discrimination due to a lack of accessible teaching materials at their place of study.

Discrimination is intersectional when several characteristics of discrimination influence each other and cannot be separated in their effect. They then lead to a specific form of disadvantage.

Example: An international student wearing a headscarf experiences derogatory comments in her everyday life at the clinic – not only because of her religious affiliation, but also in connection with her gender and ethnic origin. These forms do not act in isolation, but reinforce each other.

The term ‘sexualised violence’ is a collective term for all unwanted acts of a sexual nature. This includes, for example, words, gestures, text/image messages or touching. Perpetrators are not necessarily concerned with satisfying sexual needs, but primarily with exercising or abusing power. In 80 per cent of cases, the victims know the perpetrators, as they are part of their circle of friends, colleagues, teachers, trainers or family.

Sexualised violence can affect anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, origin or appearance. The decisive factor is always the perspective of the person affected, not the lack of intent on the part of the perpetrator. The blame lies with those who engage in any of the following forms of sexualised violence:

- Verbal: obscene, sexist words (e.g. catcalling)

- Non-verbal: intrusive and unpleasant gestures and looks at the chest, buttocks or genitals, exhibitionist behaviour

- Digital: unwanted sending/sharing of images/videos with sexual content (e.g. dick pics, upskirting)

- Emotional: blackmailing for images/videos or actions

- Physical: unwanted touching, rape

Not every form of sexualised violence is punishable under secs. 177 ff. of the German Criminal Code (StGB) – but none of it should be tolerated.