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Australia has recorded a steep escalation in Islamophobic incidents, according to a new report that found the abuse predominantly targeted Muslim women and girls.
Islamophobia Register Australia, a nonprofit organisation tracking incidents nationwide since its launch in 2014, published its report today, detailing an increase in the number of reports it received between January 2023 and November 2024.
It recorded a 250 per cent increase in reported online incidents and a 150 per cent increase in reported in-person incidents — an average of almost one Islamophobic incident every day in the timeframe.
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The data, which was compiled by researchers from Monash and Deakin universities, included 309 verified in-person incidents and 366 verified online incidents.
"This surge in reported incidents happened while some Australian politicians argued Islamophobia was 'fictitious' or 'not an issue,'" Islamophobia Register Australia executive director Dr Nora Amath said.
"The evidence is irrefutable — Islamophobia is not only real but has reached crisis levels in Australia."
Muslim women and girls were found to be disproportionately targeted by these incidents as they accounted for 75 per cent of all victims.
"This is the tenth consecutive year of reporting on Islamophobia in Australia that has demonstrated that Muslim women and girls are specifically, overwhelmingly the victims of these incidents, and the perpetrators are generally men," Monash University's lead researcher Dr Susan Carland said.
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The register found that reports of Islamophobia surged by 1300 per cent in the three weeks after October 7, 2023 — when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack against Israel.
It detailed some of the reports it received.
"When walking to get into train station, a man said to me 'I'll rip that scarf off your head and smash your head and rape you'," one person reported.
"I was sitting in the food court with my five kids when an unknown lady yelled 'F— Muslims' and punched me in the head, knocking me out in front of my kids. I was admitted to hospital with a broken nose," another reported.
"My kids are traumatised. We don't leave the house unless it's necessary as we have a fear that it will happen again."
"We have a Palestinian flag flying on our property. An unknown individual left an improvised petrol bomb on my partner's vehicle, which was parked in our driveway. Attached to the device was a hand-written note reading: ENOUGH! TAKE DOWN FLAG! ONE CHANCE!!!," a third reported.
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But only nine per cent of Australians believe there has been an increase in Islamophobia, the report also found.
Islamophobia Register Australia is calling for action from government, police, educational institutions and media organisations, including targeted intervention, mandatory awareness training in educational settings and funding for culturally appropriate mental health support.
Amath called for politicians to implement meaningful action, adding that the unity of Australia depends on addressing Islamophobia.
"The costs of inaction are not just the continued suffering of Muslim Australians, but the erosion of Australia's social fabric and its promise of a fair, inclusive society," she said.
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