Racial taunts & a Neighbourhood House response

Horn of Africa muslim women threatened in Carlton, inner Melbourne

The Melbourne Times reports that more than 20 women going to English classes at the local Neighbourhood House – trying to ‘fit in’ – are being subjected to racial taunts, threats of violence and are having things thrown at them in the street, because they wear the hijab.

Many of these women are from war-torn countries and were already traumatised before they arrived in Australia.

Mary Parfrey of the Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre organised a safety meeting after a number of complaints and the Horn of Africa Women Association has been formed to promote their rights.

An Eritrean women who lives in the Carlton public housing towers said her eight-year old son was in a lift in their building when a man began shouting at him calling him a terrorist. She says:

• she won’t let her son go out alone as it is too dangerous;
• many of her friends are to frightened to go to the police because of the amount of prejudice experienced;
• they think if they are quiet it will be better.

Carlton police and self-defence experts were to attend the saftey meeting to give talks to the women. Sergeant Erik Strik says:

• he is aware of the problems facing the muslim community;
• he encourages women to report offences to the police;
• Carlton is a very diverse community;
• often these women would have had little trust in police in their own countries;
• we are trying to improve communication lines between police and this community.

Are you having similar experiences in your community?