Spain, Aparicio, R., Results of the survey on intolerance and discrimination against Muslims in Spain, Observatorio español del racismo y la xenofobia (OBERAXE), Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones, press release, 2020
Country
Spain
Title
Year
Type of publication
Geographical coverage
National
Area/location of interest
Type of Institution
Public authority
Institution
Main Thematic Focus
Hate crime Incitement to hatred or violence Discrimination Integration & inclusion Hate speech Islamophobia Ethnic profiling Public perceptions & attitudes
Target Population
Ethnic minorities Muslims Migrants Right-wing extremists Religious minorities People with migrant background
Key findings
62.6% of the answers obtained confirm that in Spain there are high feelings of rejection towards Muslims. Eighty-five percent of those surveyed consider that they have increased in recent years due to the media, terrorist acts, and the discourse of politicians. This rejection is motivated by the negative image of their values and culture since it is considered to be an attack against democratic values and especially against women. The rejection of Muslims is manifested in almost all areas of daily life, especially in the neighborhood and at work, but also in the health and school environments. There is a greater degree of intolerance towards women who make their Muslim identity visible by wearing the veil. Islamophobia would also be present in social institutions: very high among the police and political parties, but also quite high in institutions that impart justice, as well as in public services. The survey also shows that there are more and more actions to fight Islamophobia from public administrations and civil society entities.
Methodology (Qualitative/Quantitative and exact type used, questionnaires etc)
The survey is part of a broader work carried out by the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE) in collaboration with the European Commission, national institutions, and civil society organizations. The questionnaire consists of 20 questions, subdivided into a variable number of sub-questions. The questions were formulated on the basis of a definition of Islamophobia focused not on negative ideas and attitudes towards Islam, but on xenophobic and discriminatory perceptions and behaviors towards Muslims because they are Muslims and/or are identified as such. Likewise, we took into account the type of questions validated in surveys in different countries, adapting them to the context and the specific objectives of this survey.
Sample details and representativeness
The survey was conducted between April 24 and May 15, 2019. Of the 582 recipients to whom the questionnaire was sent, 30% responded, which, in a survey sent by email through the e-survey platform. Of the responses obtained, 12.9% corresponded to public administration entities, 33.7% to non-governmental organizations, 11% to non-Muslim immigrant associations, 22.1% to Muslim immigrant associations, 22.1% to non-Muslim individuals, and 7.4% to Muslim individuals. Regarding geographical distribution, slightly more than a third (35.6%) came from the Community of Madrid, 17.8% from Andalusia, 11.7% from Catalonia, and the rest were distributed among the other Autonomous Communities. Given that this was a convenience sample, the results cannot be considered representative, but they are indicative.