LONDON – As Muslim women remain prime victims of hate crimes, British men, even non-Muslims, are facing a catalog of racial and religious abuse because of their skin color or beards.
“Although it’s a case of mistaken identity, Islamophobic abuse should not be happening in the first place,” Dr. Imran Awan, Associate Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University, told The Independent.
Dr. Awan was talking about a research presented at the House of Commons during Hate Crime Awareness Week.
In the research, Dr. Awan and Dr. Irene Zempi argued the experiences of non-Muslim men suffering Islamophobia because they look Muslim remains invisible, both in official statistics and academic research.
Interviewees described how animal excrement had been pushed through their mailboxes and their shop windows smashed.
Others said they were called terrorists or linked to Isis because of their skin color or their beards.
The study found there were increases in hostility around the EU referendum and after terror attacks.
Dr. Awan said the research showed how perpetrators of hate crimes target their victims “based on prejudice and stereotypes”.
The researchers interviewed 20 non-Muslim men aged between 19 and 59 from black, white and Asian backgrounds. They included those from the Sikh, Christian and Hindu faiths, as well as atheists.
One interviewee said they were sent a message on social media reading: “Vote Out. Kick out the Muslims.”
Another said after Brexit they were told: “Today is the day we get rid of the likes of you.”
Perpetrators of hate crime target victims ‘based on prejudice and stereotypes’, researchers say Getty
Hate Peaks
Interviewees said they noticed an increase in harassment after terror attacks around the world.
“Every time there’s a major terrorism incident there’s a sharp rise in hate directed at me and my family,” one person told the researchers.
Another agreed, adding: “Sadly the overall situation is deteriorating. Islamophobia is having an increasing impact on the lives of Asian men who look Muslim. The hatred that lies behind Islamophobia is spreading.”
Others linked the rise in hate crimes to the election of US President Donald Trump.
“I’ve noticed that abuse has increased on social media after Trump coming into power,” one said.
“I’m on a lot of sites having discussions with people, and I find that racism and Islamophobia are very prevalent. Trump’s views are very extreme, like banning Muslims to enter the US. You could not make this up five years ago.”
Another said: “Trump really changed everything, didn’t he? He is so blatantly racist and anti-Muslim that he changed the climate completely.”
Those interviewed revealed the emotional and psychological impacts, including anxiety, depression and physical illness, suffered from experiencing anti-Muslim hate crimes.
“We live in fear every day,” one person said.
“We face abuse and intimidation daily but we should not have to endure this abuse.”