How Islamophobia harms the mobility of Muslim women
A Muslim who was called a “f*cking P*ki” by a woman in the Sheffield area is now so concerned about her safety that has since avoided returning to the location of the incident, fearful of experiencing further racism.
Speaking to Tell MAMA, the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how the unprovoked nature of the racist abuse caused a deeper shock, given that it was in front of her young child and her mother.
She added that her husband has cautioned against her visiting that area again, and where she had felt the area was safe, she has since changed her mind, adding that this has hindered her ability to perform her daily tasks.
South Yorkshire Police closed their investigation into the incident after CCTV footage of the incident was inadequate.
The Muslim woman added that she was concerned that such insidious forms of racism have resurged and found a platform in the mainstream.
She described how the perpetrator was white, female, and in her 20s, and felt targeted because of her ethnicity and religious clothing.
Tell MAMA has long evidenced how Islamophobia and anti-Muslim prejudice curtails the mobility of Muslim women: the right to walk down the street or to access public transport free from abuse, violence, or discrimination, the right of religious expression and practice in workplaces and educational institutions without hindrance from management, to the expectation of equality as consumers.
As our report, The Geography of anti-Muslim Hatred, in 2015 warned: “The inability to counter Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate is a failure to ensure the security and right to equal access of public spaces by Muslims in Britain due to their religion and creed.”
The racialised, gendered nature of Islamophobia, its overlap with misogyny, and the disproportionate targeting of Muslim women continue to demonstrate the importance of an intersectional analysis which is, in short, argues for the ‘politics of survival for black women’ and presents a framework to stop the “essentialism of difference”.
You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.
The post How Islamophobia harms the mobility of Muslim women appeared first on TELL MAMA.
Categories: News, South Yorkshire police, Yorkshire
