PLUS Rhein-Neckar e.V.

I participated in a self-help group that was a collaboration between PLUS Mannheim and the Heidelberg Self-Help Office. When I spoke about my fears as a gay man when walking through Mannheim with my partner and seeing hostile stares from Muslim migrants, the group leader labeled me a racist. She knew I was Muslim myself. Despite my repeated requests, the staff members from the Self-Help Office and PLUS did not refute the accusation of racism. Instead, they suggested to the group leader that the group vote on my continued participation after the racist slur. The result, of course, was that I should no longer participate. Despite my pleas to the staff to be allowed to remain in the group, I was expelled. The staff members showed me no empathy or understanding whatsoever. This was painful and almost unbearable for me. The staff members refused to provide a written explanation for my expulsion. I had hoped to find a safe space in the group where I could openly express my fears and insecurities. I experienced defamation and exclusion. Afterwards, I contacted PLUS for advice on how to defend myself against this exclusion. Unfortunately, the psychologist there couldn't offer me any guidance. He told me that one shouldn't always say everything one thinks. Since I had the strong impression that PLUS didn't recognize the right to freedom of expression, I ended the consultation and contacted the anti-discrimination office. They were very understanding and strongly advised me to file a criminal complaint against the group leader for defamation, which I did. The self-help center initially did not support the police investigation. A public prosecutor's office employee responsible for victim-offender mediation told me that he had never encountered such a case before and that it left him speechless. The self-help center's funders, whom I had informed, assured me that they would better monitor the quality of the groups in the future. So far, no one from the self-help office or PLUS has apologized to me. After the discrimination and exclusion, and the subsequent disastrous advice I received from PLUS, I would never again turn to either of these organizations, and I would never again leave myself vulnerable and vulnerable to their staff.

Dear Thomas, you're doing a great job here. Keep it up!

A very dedicated and motivated team that cares about supporting people on their journey :-)