ISLAMOPHOBIA AWARENESS MONTH

 

Our November 2020 Islamophobia Awareness Month statement:

As-Salaam-Alaikum. This is the Arabic greeting meaning 'Peace to you.' 

November means Islamophobia Awareness Month. The purpose of this month is to deconstruct and challenge the sterotypes associated with Islam and Muslims. We believe recognising and raising awareness of Islamophobia is vital to ensure that we continue to stand against injustices within our community.  

Islamophobic behaviour ranges from anti-Muslim literature and verbal abuse to assault, property damage and extreme violence. All of which are unacceptable. Tell MAMA (a leading service for recording anti-Muslim incidents and supporting victims) has reported that there has been a 475% rise in anti-Muslim physical attacks following the EU referendum in 2016. In fact, there has been a 326% increase in Islamophobic related crimes alone towards Muslim women who wear the hijab (headscarf) or niqaab (veil). These statistics are shocking. 

Islamophobic behaviour happens daily, with some incidents only recently being addressed in mainstream news and media, despite these same Islamophobic incidents having existed for much longer. An example of one of these global conflicts is the brutality against Ugyhur Muslims in China, with grave human rights violations happening in, what Amnesty International describe as 'internment camps.' There are endless Islamophobic occurences happening across the globe, and with the current discord in France and ongoing conflict in the Middle East, now is the time to develop our understanding of Islamophobia and its consequences on individuals worldwide. 

Aston Students' Union takes a zero tolerance approach to Islamophobia and any other form of hate crime; we strive to work towards creating a welcoming and safe environment for all of our students. With this in mind, the SU Advice and Representation Centre (ARC) is a recognised hate crime and hate incident reporting centre that any student can utilise if needed. Help us raise awareness of islamophobia to ensure our students feel safe and speak out for those experiencing injustice. We are better united than we are divided. 

 

Watch our Islamophobia Awareness Month video with student sharing their statements and stories here on Instagram.