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Sikh women throughout the Midlands region are explaining a wave of assaults driven by religious bias has caused widespread fear within their community, compelling some to “radically modify” about their daily routines.

Recent Incidents Spark Alarm

Two sexual assaults targeting Sikh females, both young adults, in Walsall and Oldbury, have been reported during the last several weeks. A man in his early thirties faces charges related to a faith-based sexual assault linked to the purported assault in Walsall.

Those incidents, combined with a violent attack on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers in Wolverhampton, prompted a session in the House of Commons at the end of October regarding hate offenses against Sikhs within the area.

Females Changing Routines

A leader working with a women’s aid group in the West Midlands commented that women were modifying their daily routines to protect themselves.

“The fear, the now complete changing of your day-to-day living, that is real. I have not seen that before,” 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.’”

Females felt “uneasy” attending workout facilities, or going for walks or runs currently, she indicated. “They are doing this in groups. They are sharing their location with their friends or a family member.

“An attack in Walsall is going to make women in Coventry feel scared because it’s the Midlands,” she emphasized. “There has definitely been a shift in the way women think about their own safety.”

Public Reactions and Defensive Steps

Sikh gurdwaras in the Midlands region have started providing personal safety devices to women as a measure for their protection.

At one Walsall gurdwara, a devoted member remarked that the incidents had “transformed everything” for Sikhs living in the area.

Notably, she expressed she felt unsafe attending worship by herself, and she cautioned her elderly mother to stay vigilant while answering the door. “We’re all targets,” she said. “Assaults can occur anytime, day or night.”

Another member mentioned she was implementing additional safety measures when going to work. “I attempt to park closer to the transit hub,” 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.”

Historical Dread Returns

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

“In the past, we didn’t contemplate these defensive actions,” she said. “I’m looking over my shoulder constantly.”

For a long-time resident, the atmosphere is reminiscent of the racism older generations faced back in the 70s and 80s.

“This mirrors the 1980s, when our mothers walked near the local hall,” she recalled. “Extremist groups would occupy that space, spitting, using slurs, or siccing dogs on them. Irrationally, I’m reverting to that mindset. I believe that period is nearly here again.”

A community representative supported this view, saying people felt “we’ve gone back in time … where there was a lot of open racism”.

“Individuals are afraid to leave their homes,” she declared. “People are scared to wear the artefacts of their religion; turbans or head coverings.”

Official Responses and Reassurances

City officials had provided extra CCTV near temples to reassure the community.

Police representatives announced they were organizing talks with public figures, women’s groups, and public advocates, and going to worship centers, to discuss women’s safety.

“This has been a challenging period for residents,” a chief superintendent told a temple board. “Everyone merits a life free from terror in their community.”

The council affirmed they had been “engaging jointly with authorities, the Sikh public, and wider society to deliver assistance and peace of mind”.

Another council leader 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.