35% of migrants in Germany experienced racial discrimination: Survey

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - A nationwide survey in Germany found that many migrants experienced some form of discrimination last year due to their ethnic background or religion.

The survey by Bertelsmann Foundation found that incidents of racial discrimination increased last year, despite growing awareness of the problem among the public.

Some 35% of migrants said they experienced racist behavior and discrimination in their daily life due to their foreign-sounding names, way of speaking, or ethnic background.

About 28% of migrants said they faced discrimination and were treated unfairly due to their religion or belief.

Germany’s Muslim community was particularly affected by discrimination, according to the findings of the report.

Some 72% of Muslims surveyed said they experienced racial discrimination “very often” or “from time to time” in their daily life.

According to the survey, there has been a growing public concern about the racism problem in Germany, and support has increased for measures against racial discrimination and inequality.

Some 70% of Germans surveyed said they believe that “a lot more should be done” by authorities to ensure equal treatment of people with migration backgrounds. In 2008, only 43% of Germans expressed support for such measures.