Muslim Women Attacked.
How Is This Okay?

Like so many others in our community, I was absolutely outraged to hear of the unprovoked and violent bashing of a heavily pregnant Muslim woman in Parramatta last night (Wednesday).

The woman, who is 38-weeks pregnant, was sitting in a Church St cafe with three friends at around 10.30pm when a man, unknown to the group, approached their table.

After uttering a few words, the man punched the 31-year-old woman in the head multiple times, then as she lay prone on the ground, this utter coward stomped on her head.

Police Inspector Luke Swenkyj told the media the woman could have been much more seriously injured if bystanders hadn’t intervened.

Which is true of course, but having seen video footage of the incident which has gone viral on social media today, here is some food for thought…..

• Why was it initially left to the the victim’s three female friends to initially defend her? With no thought of self preservation, these three sisters did not hesitate to help their stricken friend. I cannot praise them enough!! Without their bravery, her injuries would certainly have been a whole lot worse.

• Am I the only one who is upset that there were a number of males nearby who were way too slow to offer their assistance?? This is so frustrating!! They should have been more vigilant. They should have done more, and they should have done so EARLIER!!

These three sisters did not hesitate to help their stricken friend. I cannot praise them enough!! Without their bravery, her injuries would certainly have been a whole lot worse.

The 43-year-old man, who was denied bail, has been charged with multiple offences.

The woman was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital for observation.

Hanadi is a close relative of the victim and told me earlier today: “She is stable and the baby is stable, but as you can imagine, she is still in a state of shock and is very fragile.

I asked Hanadi to convey to the victim and her family that we as a community are at their service.

Despite her traumatic experience, the victim (who for obvious reasons doesn’t wish to be named at this time), has summoned the courage to send me this text:

“Alhamdulillah for everything, brother Steve, but I am literally still in shock.

“I cannot believe that someone would do something like that.

“I don’t even know you and you decide to attack me like that!

“He just screamed at me, “Muslims raped my mum!” and started hitting me.”

While I was in a state of shock when I first heard about this terrible incident, I have since found out that the victim and her family are very good friends of mine.

Speaking with the victim’s husband this afternoon, he revealed to me: “My wife hardly ever goes out, but when her friends invited her for coffee, I told her to go and that I would look after the kids.

“Apparently, the guy initially asked the group for money but when they declined, he started carrying on with these religious slurs and began assaulting my wife.”

From what the victim and her husband have both told me, there seems little doubt that this attack was motivated by the victim’s faith.

To target a defenceless, heavily pregnant, hijab-wearing woman, and to scream at her in the manner I’ve already described, before punching her to the ground and then kicking her in the head, is simply NOT OKAY.

It’s to be hoped that the perpetrator will be hit by the full force of the law, as too often, the judiciary system is too lenient in these cases.

The do-gooders will probably call for a “go soft” approach because the guy apparently suggested to the police that he has a mental illness but he had no problem identifying the victim as a Muslim, did he?

If the shoe was on the other foot (and I would hope none of our Muslim brothers would ever stoop this low), but it would be a case of: “lock him up and throw away the key!”

Surely, this lady deserves justice just as much as ANY wife and mother would.

Australian National Imams Council MEDIA STATEMENT:
ANIC is deeply concerned and appalled following a recent attack on a veiled Muslim female in Parramatta.