The report sees a connection to political debates, particularly surrounding the so-called “zero-tolerance” policy of the ruling Austrian People’s Party (OVP), as well as the discussion and passage of a headscarf ban for girls under the age of 14.
Under the slogan “zero tolerance,” the Austrian federal government—and the OVP in particular—pursues a hardline political stance that focuses primarily on migration, security, and the fight against extremism.
The figures in the NGO report also show which areas of public life significantly shape the discourse. According to the organisation, media content accounts for 33 percent of the documented cases, while political communication accounts for another 27.1 percent.
Both areas contribute to anti-Muslim narratives being repeatedly taken up and reinforced in the public sphere, the report notes.
The organisation also points out that women are particularly affected.
Eighty-seven percent of religion-related discrimination cases reported to the Office of the Commissioner for Equal Treatment involve Muslims or people perceived as Muslim, 90 percent of whom are women.
As a result, the Austrian Documentation Centre is calling for the official recognition of anti-Muslim racism as a social problem, the expansion of independent counselling centres, and stronger measures against discrimination in government institutions.
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