Topic 1 Microassaults

Microassaults – are conscious, deliberate and either subtle or explicit racial, gender or sexual-orientation biased attitudes, or behaviours that are communicated to marginalized groups through environmental cues, verbalizations, or behaviours. They attack the group identity of the person or harm the intended victim through name-calling, avoidant behaviour, or purposeful discriminatory actions.

Example: someone is telling a racist joke in presence of person of colour, then saying, “I was just joking.” Microassaults are done in order to threat, intimidate or inflict the feel of unwanted.