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Sikh females in the Midlands area are describing a spate of hate crimes based on faith has instilled deep-seated anxiety within their community, compelling some to “change everything” concerning their day-to-day activities.

String of Events Triggers Concern

Two sexual assaults against Sikh ladies, both young adults, reported from Walsall and Oldbury, have come to light in recent weeks. A 32-year-old man faces charges related to a religiously aggravated rape linked to the alleged Walsall attack.

Those incidents, along with a violent attack on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers in Wolverhampton, prompted a meeting in parliament towards October's close concerning bias-motivated crimes targeting Sikhs within the area.

Ladies Modifying Habits

An advocate working with a women’s aid group across the West Midlands commented that women were modifying their regular habits for their own safety.

“The terror, the total overhaul of daily life, is genuine. I’ve never witnessed this previously,” she noted. “This is the first time since I’ve set up Sikh Women’s Aid where women have said to us: ‘We are no longer doing the things that we enjoy because we might get harmed doing them.’”

Ladies were “apprehensive” going to the gym, or walking or running currently, she mentioned. “They are doing this in groups. They are sharing their location with their friends or a family member.

“A violent incident in Walsall causes anxiety for ladies in Coventry as it’s part of the same region,” she emphasized. “There has definitely been a shift in the way women think about their own safety.”

Collective Actions and Safety Measures

Sikh gurdwaras throughout the Midlands have started providing protective alarms to women as a measure for their protection.

At one Walsall gurdwara, a regular attender mentioned that the attacks had “altered everything” for Sikhs living in the area.

Notably, she expressed she did not feel safe visiting the temple alone, and she had told her elderly mother to be careful when opening her front door. “All of us are at risk,” she said. “No one is safe from harm, regardless of the hour.”

One more individual stated she was taking extra precautions during her travels to work. “I try and find parking nearer to the bus station,” she commented. “I listen to paath [prayer] through headphones but keep it quiet enough to detect passing vehicles and ambient noise.”

Historical Dread Returns

A woman raising three girls stated: “We go for walks, the girls and I, and it just feels very unsafe at the moment with all these crimes.

“We’ve never thought about taking these precautions before,” she continued. “I’m always watching my back.”

For someone who grew up locally, the atmosphere echoes the bigotry experienced by prior generations in the 1970s and 80s.

“We’ve experienced all this in the 1980s when our mums used to go past where the community hall is,” she reflected. “The National Front members would sit there, spitting, hurling insults, or unleashing dogs. Somehow, I’m reliving that era. Mentally, I feel those days have returned.”

A public official supported this view, noting individuals sensed “we’ve regressed to an era … marked by overt racism”.

“Individuals are afraid to leave their homes,” she emphasized. “Many hesitate to display religious symbols like turbans or scarves.”

Authority Actions and Comforting Words

Municipal authorities had set up extra CCTV near temples to reassure the community.

Law enforcement officials announced they were holding meetings with community leaders, women’s groups, and public advocates, as well as visiting faith establishments, to talk about ladies’ protection.

“It’s been a very difficult week for the community,” a senior officer told a temple board. “Everyone merits a life free from terror in their community.”

The council stated it was “collaborating closely with law enforcement and the Sikh population, as well as broader groups, to offer aid and comfort”.

A different municipal head remarked: “We were all shocked by the awful incident in Oldbury.” She added that the council worked with the police as part of a safety partnership to tackle violence against women and girls and hate crime.