Every time a person or any group find themselves in an unfavorable situation in relation to others, the phenomenon of social exclusion is created . Deleting someone means not accepting them for some reason.
The social exclusion of a group leads to a lack of participation in a society’s set of activities .
A historical perspective
The idea of exclusion has changed throughout history. In fact, in other times, women accused of witchcraft, heretics, some indigenous tribes and people with some kind of disability were excluded .
Currently, in most countries, homosexuals are no longer persecuted for their sexual orientation, but not long ago this group of people was marginalized and suffered from all kinds of shame and debauchery. Even today, there are countries in which homosexuality is associated with exclusion.
The gypsy race arose in India and expanded to Europe from the 14th century onwards. This is a clear historical example of the stigmatization of an ethnic minority.
We can categorically state that the women’s group has been the protagonist of social exclusion. For centuries, the role of women was limited and based only on the role of mother or wife, as well as their participation in society was something exceptional.
Groups at risk of social exclusion
Disabled people (who have some kind of disability) cannot always be part of a normal life, as they find it difficult to find work, travel and participate in recreational or cultural activities.
Women victims of domestic violence live in personal circumstances of evident social exclusion. The violence suffered has consequences for their private and professional lives and in all areas of their lives.
Likewise, there are some immigrants who present a type of profile that places them in a position of inequality in relation to the rest of the population (most of the times they do not have the same rights and the same opportunities).
Certain groups live in an ambiguous situation, as they are partially integrated into society, as shown in the case of women who engage in prostitution or of some ethnic minorities.
Situations of social exclusion that can become chronic
The concept of risk of exclusion must be distinguished from that of chronic exclusion. In the first case, it is a situation that can be temporary or circumstantial (for example, a woman victim of domestic violence can overcome this personal situation and solve her problem). On occasion, social exclusion can become chronic and become a problem that is difficult to solve, as shown in the cases of street children, homeless people and victims of sexual slavery.
