HREOC Website: Isma - Listen: National consultations on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australias
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|| Meeting Notes: 30 June 2003
Consultation with Muslim and Arab
women hosted by the Office for Women’s Policy, WA Department for Community
Development, North Perth Town Hall, 30 June 2003
This consultation was held in collaboration with the Office
for Multicultural Interests, the Ethnic Communities Council Women's Sub-Committee,
the Al-Hidayah Islamic School, the Somali community, Dar Al Shifah, the Muslim
Women's Support Centre and the Australian Islamic College.
The meeting was chaired by the Executive Director of the Office
for Women’s Policy, Ms Maria Osman, and attended by Dr Bill Jonas, Acting
Race Discrimination Commission, Meredith Wilkie, Director of the Race Discrimination
Unit and Susanna Iuliano, Policy Research Officer from HREOC. The meeting was
very well attended by approximately 80 participants, most of whom were Muslim
women from a range of age groups and ethnic backgrounds.
After a warm welcome to country and brief introduction from
Bill Jonas and Maria Osman, participants divided into nine discussion groups
comprised of 5-10 women, each with a separate facilitator, scribe and interpreter
where required. After approximately one hour of discussion, each group reported
back to the larger forum as documented in these notes. The meeting concluded
with a word of thanks from Maria Osman and a brief prayer.
1. What are your experiences of
discrimination and vilification?
Has discrimination worsened after September 11?
Most participants agreed that the generalisation that Muslims are terrorists
did get worse after Sept 11. One woman said she felt exhausted always having
to justify Islam after Sept 11. An un-veiled Australian born Muslim said she
felt fearful and discriminated against by comments made in a university lecture
by students and lecturer alike the first day after September 11. Around the
same time, a 16 year old student was referred to as a ‘terrorist’
by her relief teacher and was told ‘those terrorists are not needed in
Australia’. Also around the same time a Muslim woman wearing her hijab
had drinks thrown at her in the city of Perth.
One woman said that the abuse had become so bad that she has
resorted to carrying protection: “I started carrying a small nail
scissors to protect myself…”
Another said: “All this stress and anger we keep
inside and don’t have anyone to tell. We can’t go outside our home
because we are scared of these people – we don’t know who is good
and who is bad. Our kids are also scared as they see their parents and pick
up on these feelings…”
One woman said she was so badly affected that she was thinking
about returning to her country of origin where her children could have a better
life.
“It’s
very hard to live here. We came here to live in peace – we ran from
our war to a war here. They promised us somewhere safe but where is the promise?”
On the other hand, Somali women talked about pre-Sept 11 incidents
of being abused in the street so it is important to recognise that the discrimination
did not start after September 11.
Are women who wear the hijab at greater risk?
Women and children are being most affected by discrimination against Muslims.
“If you
are with a man you don’t get as much abuse…”
There was general agreement that discrimination is connected
to whether a woman wears hijab or not. For example, one participant said, “I
haven’t personally experienced discrimination because I don’t wear
the hijab.”
“Most
vilification is toward women who wear the hijab and veils…”
One woman said that when her daughter stopped wearing the hijab,
people accepted her more. Another had removed her scarf so as to avoid discrimination.
“Muslim
women are portrayed as being oppressed by their husbands but in fact we are
being oppressed by the society where we can’t feel comfortable wearing
our hijab and practicing our religion. People are fearing for their lives…”
Checking in at an airport, a woman was ridiculed and made to
take her veil off in a side room at the airport and was laughed at. Another
woman felt that stewardesses on planes were unfriendly towards her and ignored
her because she wore hijab.
What have
been the impacts of the ASIO raids?
“There is a fear in the community that one day you will wake up
and your husband will be taken away under the new ASIO laws. The way the government
treated people who underwent the raids was shocking…”“After
the ASIO raids women started sleeping in their hijab for fear of being raided
in the middle of the night by ASIO agents…”
One woman described how her house had been raided by ASIO in
October 2002. They came without warning and took computers and other things,
some of which have not been returned. Her husband has business concerns in Indonesia
and he commutes frequently between Australia and Indonesia. His application
for permanent residency has stalled. They thought they were raided because a
family friend is a religion teacher. Her 10 year old child fears being picked
up by ASIO at school and has asked her, ‘What would I do if ASIO picks
me up at school?’
Another woman thought she was being followed and that her phone
was tapped. She believes that many Muslims in the Thornlie area are experiencing
the same treatment.
“I don’t speak about terrorism or Islam on
the phone because they will be listening. My communication with my own family
is being affected…”
What has been the role of the media?
The participants agreed that Muslims and Arabs are portrayed in a bad light
in the media. News reports are biased. After September 11, Muslim women in particular
have been portrayed negatively: they only show women with no skills forced to
sit at home by husbands as the stereotype.
“The
West Australian newspaper put my picture next to an article on terrorism…”“After September 11, Bali and the children overboard
I stopped reading the West Australian. It makes me feel as though the whole
world is against me. I don’t want to switch on the news…’’
“After Bali, the number of times terrorism and Islam
were mentioned was incredible…”
One woman wrote letters to her local paper explaining about
Islam but had then been victimised.
“I have
had eggs thrown at my house because of formal complaints that I have made…I
wrote to the editor of a local newspaper to answer a negative letter about
Islam and it was published with my surname. I got abusive phone calls following
this. Later I wrote another letter one year later and at that time I was home
alone as my husband was on night-shift. I heard sounds outside – the
whole night I did not sleep because I felt unsafe. I felt that maybe someone
was going to attack me because of my letters to the editor.”
Incidents in government offices
One participant described how she had attended a Centrelink office with her
sister-in-law who is Somalian and dresses traditionally. The Centrelink officer,
who was trying to explain an ambiguous point to her, told her to go home and
get her husband to explain it to her. “I was dealt with by my image
– that I am oppressed, uneducated and that I can’t speak English.”
The woman called Centrelink later to complain and was told the staff member
‘didn’t mean it’ and that she had taken it the wrong way.
“I am a double degree educated woman wearing a veil and yet I am told
that I need to go to my husband. I am taken on face value…When our husbands
are known to be Muslims, they are treated as people who oppress their women.”
More generally, it was suggested that all service providers
need guidelines to help them handle the different needs of diverse communities,
particularly Muslims. Further, one participant noted:
“Lack
of access to culturally and Islamically appropriate services is a form of
discrimination. It is difficult to find services that are for women only…”
For example, toilets in hospitals and government buildings
should have facilities for Muslim women to wash before prayer, in the same way
they provide for disabled people.
Using health services
One woman described her experience of giving birth in a local hospital as mostly
positive. All but one nurse were helpful. This nurse would not help change the
baby and she would come in and just take the baby away without explaining where
she was taking her. The other nurses would explain where they were taking baby.
When the supervisor came, the negative nurse put the blame on the mother saying
she was ‘difficult’.
Quiet spaces in hospitals are sometimes inaccessible to Muslims
because they have Christian religious icons hanging – these areas should
be non-religious and open to all groups Muslims or otherwise. A security guard
who was asked to open a locked prayer room at a major public hospital in Perth
referred to Muslims as ‘Mozzies’. …
Incidents in the workplace
One woman said that her husband who worked in a factory was not given any overtime
after Sept 11 and his colleagues treated him differently. Husband put up with
jokes and teasing for 1½ years then left. He told his bosses who spoke
to the workers but the ‘joking’ continued. He was teased with names
like ‘terrorist’ and ‘Osama bin Laden’s mob’.
“I think
trying to get employment is difficult. My brother went for a promotion and
he was asked if he would need to pray. He did not get the promotion.”
One woman felt she could not get a job because she wore the
hijab even though her qualifications are exceptional. Another said:
“When
I started wearing the hijab at work people started talking to me very slowly
and very loudly as if I could not understand because the veil was blocking
my communication skills. They assume Muslim women don’t have brains…”Incidents at school
There were mixed responses with some women saying that there were no problems
for their children. On the other hand, some concerns were expressed. For example,
students attending the Australian Islamic College see a lot of negative
and abusive graffiti.“Adults can cope with this somehow, but children
keep a lot inside and when they grow up they will face hardship…”
Incidents at school
There were mixed responses with some women saying that there were no problems
for their children. On the other hand, some concerns were expressed. For example,
students attending the Australian Islamic College see a lot of negative
and abusive graffiti.
“Adults can cope with this somehow, but children
keep a lot inside and when they grow up they will face hardship…”
One woman’s son, attending first year high school, was
told by other students ‘why don’t you go back to your country?’
However the teachers support him and he doesn’t feel intimidated,
even though there aren’t many other Muslims in the school. He gets bullied
not just because he is Muslim but because he is intelligent and does well at
school.
A young woman had felt discriminated against by an ESL teacher
who was giving her very bad marks. The teacher, who was Jewish, had said to
her, “You are a very nice girl but I cannot stand Muslims…”
Muslim parents themselves reported experiencing prejudice within
the school system after September 11. One woman reported that when she went
to pick her daughter up from a government primary school the mother of her child’s
good friend avoided her and refused to speak with her. Another woman said she
felt a definite coldness from one of her son’s pre-primary teachers after
September 11 and she felt as though the teacher was more or less blaming her
for the event.
“Meeting
with other mothers they continually talk about Islam in a negative manner…
the media has manipulated their minds. All of their information they get from
the media. They are ignorant…My daughter is terribly affected and now
wants to have blonde hair so other students will play with her. I could not
face those mothers every day so I was forced to change schools. I still have
negative experiences because they know I am Muslim. Other mothers don’t
want to socialise with me although I try very hard so that my daughter will
have play mates but the mothers do not want their children to play with mine…”
During Ramadan, a woman at the school canteen asked a mother
about her 10 year old daughter, ‘why do you starve her?’. Her daughter
went on to give a talk about Ramadan at school and the mother helped her with
information. She concluded that schools need more information about Ramadan.
Another participant said:
“I’d
like to know how Islam is being portrayed in schools. The other day, ‘Behind
the News’ had a segment on Hamas that was biased. This show is being
viewed by school children in schools…”
Incidents at tertiary institutions
A TAFE teacher reportedly expressed views about Muslim refugees that were offensive
saying “Iraqi people are liars…”’.
One woman was upset because she felt a lecturer was treating
her differently in class. She was being indirectly harassed but she had no idea
of how to lodge a complaint. She confronted the lecturer and his behaviour changed.
The lecturer had the idea that Muslim men treat women as inferior but she had
‘set him straight’.
Another woman who was attending an adult education English
class was upset that she had to write an essay attacking women’s position
in Afghanistan. Some of the other students said that Afghanis had ‘asked
for it’ (ie the war). “My self esteem was broken and I was the
only Muslim in the class.”
Incidents in shopping centres
Some participants talked about the difficulty of getting service in shops.
“We are
often ignored and avoided.”
Others complained of racist comments by other shoppers. A common
taunt is ‘go back to your country’.
“I used
to wear the niquab. In shopping centre queues people would say to each other
‘look at the kinds of people they let into the country’.”“My friend
who wears the niquab was at a shopping centre with her children. A man pointed
at her and started screaming ‘Terrorist! Terrorist! Terrorist!’.”“I get
comments everyday about my dress, especially in shopping centres – people
say ‘shit f…ing dress’.”“In the
shops they call us ‘terrorists’ and ‘Osama bin Laden’.
Sometimes people spit and shout and it leaves us feeling quite scared and
shaken. No one helps or defends us…”
Several other women also noted that onlookers, including centre
security, typically do not intervene. One woman was approached in a supermarket
aisle by an elderly man who asked in an insulting tone, ‘Why are you
dressed like that? What are you doing here in Australia?’. Other
people overheard but they looked on passively.
Another woman shopping in Target was asked to show her bag
for a security inspection. An elderly passerby said, ‘do you have
a machine gun with you’ and the security guard stood by and said
nothing.
“I was
totally shocked and I left. I was so upset. In our culture, we are taught
to respect old people so I could not answer him back.”
Incidents in banks
One woman reported how she was in a bank queue when an elderly lady said to
her ‘get out of this place’. She complained to the bank manager
who said there was nothing they could do.
“Older
people are the worst culprits. They walk past you and mutter ‘disgusting’.
My friend was lined up at the bank and the man behind her in the queue said
‘disgusting’.”
Incidents on public transport
One woman told how when she took a seat on a bus near a male passenger he got
up, screamed at her, kicked the seat and then moved to another seat on the bus.
Another woman was at a bus-stop with her two children, two
bags and a pram. She had to put the pram on board and then go back and get the
two children without any assistance from the bus driver. An Italian passenger
had stood up and said to the bus driver, “If you don’t help
this woman I will.”
Incidents
in the street
“I was walking in the street in Girrawheen with my child and another
child got down from his bike and started hitting my son in the face.”
One participant said she had had a water-filled balloon thrown
at her from a car outside Thornlie shopping centre.
“I wrote
down the number plate and called the police station. They asked if I was injured
and when I said ‘no’ they said ‘It’s not an emergency
then’. If we have a problem we have no-one to help talk to or turn to…We
need someone to talk to who can help us…”
Another reported an incident in Kenwick where a man set his
three dogs on her.
“Luckily
I had an umbrella to defend myself. The man just watched then a driver stopped
and screamed so the man called the dogs back. I asked for his name but he
walked away…”
Abuse from people in passing cars was commonplace.
“I was
walking and a car came past and the driver yelled out ‘bloody Muslim’.
I was very scared that they would do something…”
One woman’s mother was driving when a man in another
car pulled up alongside and made a shooting gesture towards her.
“When
I drive my car, I always have bad experiences.”
The day after the Bali attack, someone tried to run a Muslim
woman and her son over because she was wearing a hijab. A group of Muslim girls
were driving to karate lessons when a car pulled up at a set of lights and the
people inside started abusing the girls. One girl took down the number plate
and called the police but they said they could only file a report.
Have incidents been reported?
Some Muslim women do not feel free to go the police for help because of their
past experiences in their home countries. There is also a fear of complaining
about discrimination because of possible reprisals like being black-listed by
the law of government.
Experiences of support from the wider community
Several participants reported receiving strong support from the wider community,
neighbours etc, especially following September 11. One woman reported how, during
the war in Iraq, a neighbour had come to her home with flowers and a card for
her to show her support and sympathy. Another woman told how her neighbours
had invited her family over on Boxing Day and Christmas Eve and even provided
halal food, asked if they wanted foil on the barbecue and everyone brought fish
“so we could all eat the same”.
The Australian Islamic College reported receiving emails and
phone calls of support. A school in Bunbury even came up to have a morning tea
with them in solidarity.
2. What is being done to fight anti-Arab
and anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination?
There was a general sense that little is being done. Some women
felt isolated and alone and that there is nobody to help.
“The
government should be helping us – they are not helping or listening…”
One woman described how she had taken action herself. She had
noticed a difference in attitude to her from teachers and students at her child’s
school after September 11. “The kids got scared when they saw me coming.”
She decided to tackle this head on by taking a more active role in the
school. “Everyone knows me now and I don’t have this problem.”
Community initiatives
Four mosques in Perth had open days to show people that mosques are for worship
only. About 300 people showed up out of interest. The ABC covered the story
and the West Australian newspaper eventually did a write-up but the article
appeared on the same page as a report on terrorism.
Participants also referred to the Muslim Women’s Support
group which was formed to raise awareness of social issues and provide support.
3. What more could be done to fight
anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination?
The meeting proposed the following strategies for achieving
some of the key objectives identified by the Isma project.
Promoting positive public awareness
There is a need for more television programs that portray Islam and Muslims
in a positive light and dispel myths about the religion. While SBS and ABC occasionally
run good documentaries, there is a need for more exposure on commercial channels.
People, including the media, need to be educated so they don’t feel threatened
by Islam.
There is also a need for awareness raising sessions for teachers
and educators.
“The
education system needs to be more inclusive to all recognising all religions
and cultures.”
Challenging stereotypes
It was suggested that the community should supply positive stories to media/editors
– even if they need to sensationalise. If the articles don’t get
printed then it will be proof of discrimination. School newsletters might also
print positive stories about Muslim culture in everyday life.
Suggestions specifically addressing the media included increasing
accountability of talk back radio shows, working for fair reporting about Muslim
people and that Muslims born in Australia should be referred to as ‘Australians’.
Providing community support
Suggestions included the establishment of community support groups for women,
local area support groups for families, teenager support groups and 24 hour
‘Carelines’ for Muslims and information kiosks for Muslim communities.
Centres should be established specifically to help Muslim women
find jobs because they have less opportunity to find work.
It was stated that Muslims feel supported by the WA Premier
but they were not happy with the Prime Minister’s reference to Muslim
people as ‘Islamic people’.
Improving public safety
Muslim women do not want to be stereotyped in campaigns to promote safety. To
put up a poster that says ‘Muslims are welcome’ would make the situation
worse.
4. Other issues and suggestions
The issue of the title of HREOC’s project was raised.
The title was said to imply that there is only prejudice against Arab Muslims,
whereas in fact there are many non-Arab Muslims in Australia.
“Why
only Arabs? Malays, Yemeni, Africans etc are not Arabs. The title should be
changed to Middle Eastern…”
