Ars Iuris Salmanticensis (Feb 2020)
Aporophobia: a Qualitative Research on the Group of Homeless People in Salamanca
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to study the prevalence of aporophobia incidents in a sample of eight people from Salamanca who share a past of homelessness. The methodology used is qualitative research through interviews. The subjects interviewed presented an average age of 52 years and approximately two and a half years of homelessness, the main triggers being drugs and the loss of their jobs. The hate crimes they suffered the most were discriminations and humiliations, as for the incidents with this same motivation, looks of contempt and constant control in the supermarkets. In the petitions to Spanish society, work, help and empathy predominate. In addition, consideration is being given to the possible application of criminal law to this problem, although it currently has no place. The most relevant conclusions are that the longer they stay on the street, the greater the typology of hate crimes, as well as the fact that people who were victims of many hate crimes also suffered many hate incidents and vice versa. As for the victimization rate, it reached a 75%, and the phenomenon of underreporting was very high. Consequently, it is proposed as plausible solutions to visualize and recognize aporophobia, as well as to reform the criminal law in order to bring about its inclusion.
