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Sikh females across the Midlands are describing a wave of religiously motivated attacks has instilled widespread fear among their people, pushing certain individuals to “completely alter” about their daily routines.

Series of Attacks Causes Fear

Two rapes against Sikh ladies, both in their 20s, occurring in Walsall and Oldbury, have been reported over the past few weeks. A 32-year-old man is now accused associated with a religiously aggravated rape connected with the alleged Walsall attack.

These events, coupled with a violent attack on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers located in Wolverhampton, led to a parliamentary gathering at the end of October concerning bias-motivated crimes targeting Sikhs within the area.

Women Altering Daily Lives

A representative working with a women’s aid group in the West Midlands explained that females were changing their regular habits to ensure their security.

“The terror, the total overhaul of daily life, is genuine. I’ve never witnessed this previously,” she said. “It’s the initial instance since founding Sikh Women’s Aid that females have told us: ‘We’ve stopped engaging in activities we love due to potential danger.’”

Ladies were “apprehensive” going to the gym, or taking strolls or jogs currently, she said. “They participate in these endeavors together. They update loved ones on their location.”

“An assault in Walsall will frighten females in Coventry since it’s within the Midlands,” she emphasized. “There has definitely been a shift in the way women think about their own safety.”

Community Responses and Precautions

Sikh temples throughout the Midlands have begun distributing rape and security alarms to ladies to help ensure their security.

At one Walsall gurdwara, a devoted member mentioned that the incidents had “transformed everything” for local Sikh residents.

Notably, she revealed she did not feel safe going to the gurdwara on her own, and she cautioned her senior parent to stay vigilant while answering the door. “All of us are at risk,” she affirmed. “Assaults can occur anytime, day or night.”

A different attendee explained she was implementing additional safety measures during her travels to work. “I try and find parking nearer to the bus station,” she said. “I put paath [prayer] in my headphones but it’s on a very low volume, to the point where I can still hear cars go past, I can still hear surroundings around me.”

Echoes of Past Anxieties

A mother of three expressed: “My daughters and I take walks, but current crime levels make it feel highly dangerous.

“We never previously considered such safety measures,” she added. “I’m looking over my shoulder constantly.”

For a long-time resident, the atmosphere is reminiscent of the discrimination endured by elders in the 1970s and 80s.

“This mirrors the 1980s, when our mothers walked near the local hall,” she reflected. “We used to have the National Front and all the people sat there and they used to spit at them, call them names or set dogs on them. For some reason, I’m going back to that. In my head, I think those times are almost back.”

A public official echoed this, noting individuals sensed “we’ve returned to a period … characterized by blatant bigotry”.

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

Official Responses and Reassurances

The local council had set up more monitoring systems around gurdwaras to reassure the community.

Police representatives announced they were conducting discussions with local politicians, women’s groups, and community leaders, as well as visiting faith establishments, to discuss women’s safety.

“It’s been a very difficult week for the community,” a senior officer told a worship center group. “No one should reside in a neighborhood filled with fear.”

The council declared it had been “actively working alongside the police with the Sikh community and our communities more widely to provide support and reassurance”.

A different municipal head stated: “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.