Stereotypes and Prejudices as Cause for Discriminatory Practices - Review of the Case-law of the European Court of Human Rights

This paper discusses the stereotypes and prejudices against a certain social group as limiting factors for the individual choices of people belonging to the respective group, which consequently lead do discrimination, stigmatization, hate speech and eventually to bias-motivated violence. The analysis is conducted on the basis of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. In this context, the analysis of the case law and the findings of the Court are given special place with regard to the stereotypes in cases of discrimination on the grounds of sex and gender, ethnic and racial background, disability, status of HIV positive people, sexual orientation, religion and belief. On the other hand, the paper analyses the religious, ethnic and homophobic prejudices which are the underlying cause of hate crimes