🔗 Share this article

Sikh women in the Midlands area are explaining a wave of hate crimes based on faith has caused pervasive terror within their community, forcing many to “radically modify” about their daily routines.

Recent Incidents Spark Alarm

Two violent attacks of Sikh women, each in their twenties, reported from Walsall and Oldbury, were recently disclosed during the last several weeks. An individual aged 32 is now accused related to a faith-based sexual assault connected with the purported assault in Walsall.

These events, along with a brutal assault targeting two older Sikh cab drivers from Wolverhampton, led to a parliamentary gathering in late October concerning bias-motivated crimes targeting Sikhs within the area.

Females Changing Routines

A representative from a domestic abuse charity across the West Midlands commented that females were changing their daily routines to protect themselves.

“The fear, the now complete changing of your day-to-day living, that is real. I have not seen that before,” she noted. “It’s the initial instance since founding Sikh Women’s Aid that females have told us: ‘We’ve stopped engaging in activities we love due to potential danger.’”

Ladies were “apprehensive” visiting fitness centers, or taking strolls or jogs at present, she mentioned. “They now undertake these activities collectively. They notify friends or relatives of their whereabouts.

“An attack in Walsall is going to make women in Coventry feel scared because it’s the Midlands,” she said. “There has definitely been a shift in the way women think about their own safety.”

Collective Actions and Safety Measures

Sikh temples throughout the Midlands have started providing rape and security alarms to females as a measure for their protection.

At one Walsall gurdwara, a devoted member mentioned that the incidents had “changed everything” for local Sikh residents.

Specifically, she revealed she was anxious visiting the temple alone, and she advised her elderly mother to exercise caution when opening her front door. “We’re all targets,” she affirmed. “Assaults can occur anytime, day or night.”

One more individual mentioned she was implementing additional safety measures when going to work. “I seek parking spots adjacent to the bus depot,” she said. “I play paath [prayer] in my earpieces at minimal volume, ensuring I remain aware of traffic and my environment.”

Echoes of Past Anxieties

A woman raising three girls stated: “My daughters and I take walks, but current crime levels make it feel highly dangerous.

“In the past, we didn’t contemplate these defensive actions,” she continued. “I’m always watching my back.”

For an individual raised in the area, the environment is reminiscent of the bigotry experienced by prior generations back in the 70s and 80s.

“We’ve experienced all this in the 1980s when our mums used to go past where the community hall is,” she recalled. “Extremist groups would occupy that space, spitting, using slurs, or siccing dogs on them. Irrationally, I’m reverting to that mindset. I believe that period is nearly here again.”

A public official echoed this, stating residents believed “we’ve returned to a period … characterized by blatant bigotry”.

“Individuals are afraid to leave their homes,” she emphasized. “There’s apprehension about wearing faith-based items such as headwear.”

Authority Actions and Comforting Words

City officials had provided extra CCTV in the vicinity of places of worship to reassure the community.

Law enforcement officials confirmed they were holding meetings with local politicians, women’s groups, and public advocates, as well as visiting faith establishments, to address female security.

“It’s been a very difficult week for the community,” a high-ranking official informed a worship center group. “No one deserves to live in a community feeling afraid.”

Local government declared it was “collaborating closely with law enforcement and the Sikh population, as well as broader groups, to offer aid and comfort”.

Another council leader commented: “Everyone was stunned by the horrific event in Oldbury.” She added that the council worked with the police as part of a safety partnership to tackle violence against women and girls and hate crime.