By Mohamed Taha

A Muslim woman left severely shaken by a physical and verbal assault on a packed Sydney train on Monday night believes she was targeted because of her religion.

Hina, who wanted to be identified only by her first name, was on a train home from the city’s Town Hall station to Parramatta when she said she was assaulted.

She said she boarded the train about 5:30pm, but found there were no seats available so stood near the stairs, and noticed “a guy come in”.

“He was tall. He looked angry,” she said.

The 30-year-old said the man appeared to want to use the stairs before hitting her with his shoulder.

“I thought maybe it’s a mistake so I just stepped back,” she said.

“Then he moved even closer to me and hit me three or four times with his shoulder, his bag. He kicked me with his foot. Then I realised he [was] intentionally attacking me so then I shouted.

“He said excuse me, then he pushed me, then he said ‘get off’, then f-words,” she said.

“He said ‘you kind of people, you block our way’. I was in deep shock.”

She said she became even more frightened when no-one tried to defend her, except for a woman who yelled at the man after the assault.

“It was a fully crowded train but nobody said anything. People were just listening. I know they were scared,” Hina said.

She tried to get off at Redfern to notify the station manager but the man got off at the same station.

“He passed by me and abused me verbally and went away,” she said.

Warning to women travelling alone

Hina reported the assault to Parramatta police, who are now investigating.

Police said the man was of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall, aged in his mid-30s, with a medium build, bald head and facial stubble, and wearing jeans and black and white shoes.

Hina wears Islamic head covering and said she felt the man targeted her because of her faith.

“The moment he entered he was looking angry at me,” she said.

“I was the only one on that train that was wearing the hijab [Muslim headscarf]. It was a forceful attempt to attack me.”

She said she did not go to work today because she feared travelling on a train.

“I didn’t have the courage to go to the station,” she said.

“I’m scared because I’m a single woman living alone. I can’t step out of my home. This one incident has shaken my confidence.”

She said she wants more women, Muslim and non-Muslim, to be vigilant when travelling alone.

‘Disturbingly’ familiar story of attacks on Muslim women

Hina contacted the Islamophobia Register Australia, an online service that records incidents of anti-Muslim abuse.

Lawyer Mariam Veiszadeh, who founded the register, said Hina was clearly traumatised by the incident.

Ms Veiszadeh said Muslim women who wear the hjiab are more vulnerable to attacks.

“They do happen to be the flag-bearers of their religion,” she said.

“Unfortunately, it seems to be women who are visibly Muslim, in this case who wear the hijab, who seem to be targeted more.”

She said the register has received dozens of reports of attacks against Muslim women and the frequency of incidents increases when there is community tension.

“It’s becoming more common,” she said.

“We are hearing anecdotal reports and also reports directly from victims.

“When Muslims are thrown in the media spotlight, whatever the case might be, it just so happens that the next few days or that day, we do hears of incidents where Muslim women or visible Muslims are being verbally or physically attacked.

“It leaves them with anxiety that is quite crippling. The fact that women are feeling these things in Australia is deeply disturbing.”

She said community awareness and strong action from the police against perpetrators were key.

“It’s really important that we protect each other,” she said.

Source: ABC