Skip to main content

HREOC Website: Isma - Listen: National consultations on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australias

Consultations
Homepage

|| Meeting Notes; 13 November 2003

Consultation with members
of the Horn of Africa Senior Women's Program, Melbourne, 13 November 2003

The consultation
was organised by the Islamic Women's Welfare Centre as part of its research
into racial violence against Muslim women living in Victoria. It was facilitated
by Ms Joumanah El Matrah, Manager of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council
of Victoria, and attended by Ms Omeima Sukkarieh, Human Rights and Equal
Opportunity Commission. Amna Malkin acted as group leader and interpreter.
The consultation was attended by 11 members of the program all of whom
were Eritrean Muslim refugee women over the age of 60 who have been in
Australia between two and13 years.

Experiences of discrimination

In public places

Most of the women
in the group had experienced racism and discrimination since arriving
to Australia, with the majority of racially motivated abuse and violence
taking place in public spaces, in particular on the street and in public
transport. None of the women felt safe enough to walk in the street alone.
When asked what does feeling safe mean to them in the community, they
responded:

"In general
there are some problems facing us in the streets, like not feeling safe
in the streets especially if you walk alone. [We are] not feeling safe,
[just] fear."

"Yesterday while
waiting for transport, someone driving his car spat on me. I was very
angry but he drove off before I could do anything."

"Sometimes it
is hard to walk in the street because some people they look at you differently;
especially us wearing the scarf."

"One day I was
walking when I was approached by an old lady who said Muslim Bin Laden
Osama. I kept walking and I didn't answer her because my English is
not good."

In public housing

Notable incidents
of racially motivated abuse and violence also took place in and around
the public housing complexes, in which all participants reside. One of
the women recalled an incident that she said was not uncommon: an old
Australian woman called her 'Bin Laden' and swore at her religion.

When asked what it
was that would make them feel safe, the overwhelming response was their
need for more and better security at the public housing highrise flats
they live in, especially for a few of the women whose only option is to
use the external laundry to wash their clothes. The women particularly
felt a sense of anxiety for their children's safety, particular with the
large extent of drug use and abuse by other residents in the complex.

" ...we are concerned
about housing as Muslim women. We can't feel free going out to do some
activities because some people use drugs where we live. My daughter
can't wash clothes if her husband is not home. Living conditions are
not good living in high rises. Generally living in public housing is
not safe anymore."

One woman commented
" ... my children are afraid to go out sometimes by themselves."

They feel even less
safe since September 11, for themselves and for their families.

"We don't feel
any safer because some people, they started to blame Muslims for the
events of September 11."

"We are worried
about our children who work at night or go to school."

When asked if they
are aware of any services that they might access if they face violence
or discrimination, all of the women said that they were unaware of any
services. One woman summed up their response:

"We don't know
any thing or anywhere. We can't even know where to go."

Impacts of discrimination

When asked about
how these experiences have impacted on their behaviour and whether or
not they have taken any action to protect themselves, the women all believed
that their trust in God was their ultimate protection. However several
women would not go out alone.

"Yes before
we used to go out feeling safe. Even early in the mornings we used to
go for our daily walk. But nowadays we are afraid to go alone so we
walk as groups. We used to walk anywhere, even under bridges, but now
we walk where a lot of people are present."

"I personally
feel different. Before we used to walk at night, for example from North
Melbourne to Flemington during Ramadan. But now it is hard because few
times people are making comments to us; we don't know what they are
saying. However, I feel unsafe to walk at night or alone during the
day."

"Yesterday after
Trawih
[i.e. late prayer during Ramadan] someone used to put
papers saying we don't want noise, [so] before we went out for our walk
at night in groups but nowadays we are afraid maybe someone will harm
us while praying at the Mosque."

When asked to what
extent racially or religiously motivated violence against Muslim woman
is an issue in the community, and whether or not they think it is increasing
or decreasing, participants responded:

"Yes there
is violence. There are good and bad people and yes we are afraid but
we have to keep walking in the streets alone because we have no options.
We go out even if we are worried but we don't go places where there
are no people especially at night. Some people are rude but there are
others who are good."

"Until now we
have not seen any thing, may Allah protect us, some drug dealers is
seen around [but] there is no respect for woman who wear the scarf;
if [a Muslim woman] asked for directions she is directed to the wrong
direction or no good response; [she is] misdirected."

Accessibility and knowledge
of existing agencies and services

None of the women
had heard of the Equal Opportunity Commission.

"We have never
heard of any information [about] this organisation."

Police

There was also a
complete lack of trust for police, with one woman recalling an experience
she had:

"I personally
don't trust the police in this country because they don't come when
you need them. My friend had a person broke into her flat and they did
not attend fast. Also they help young people to find places to live
outside the family home instead of saying go back to your family and
solve your family problems. They come fast when there is a fire."

Do you feel welcome in Australia?

In comparison to
the tensions they left behind in their homelands, participants were reluctant
to criticise even the worst experiences of discrimination. However generally
speaking they did not feel completely welcome in Australia.

"We don't feel
always welcome. There are people who make us feel welcome and there
are those who don't, especially those that don't understand."

"Most of the
time we feel welcome but other times we face different difficulties
because of the way we look or dress. Once I was going out and a [white]
woman she made fun of me saying 'why do you dress that way? It is not
nice, [it's] long and doesn't look nice'."

"Also there
is some harassment even for us old women. Besides that there is no major
violence."

What more could be done?

None of the women
were aware of any organisations which emerged to protect Muslims against
violence after the events of September 11. Most of them just wanted police
to take their complaints seriously or at the very least attend to calls
of help on or near time or in fact, at all. Asked what actions they would
like to see the government take to make them feel safer, one woman replied:

"It is the government's
responsibility to make us feel safe in the community. Therefore it should
educate people about us and our religion."

As to the role of
religious leaders in assisting the family resolve conflict, one woman
commented:

"Individually
we go back to family problems to be solved within the family."