Kawthar Ali had just sat down to have lunch with her friend and four-year-old daughter at a Melbourne shopping centre last week when she said she was attacked from behind and choked using her own hijab.
Ms Ali, who is more than 26 weeks pregnant, told the ABC her friend had noticed a woman approaching them shortly beforehand and had warned Ms Ali to “watch out”.
“I went to turn around to see who was behind me but by then she grabbed my scarf very hard and tried to completely rip it off,” Ms Ali said.
“She wrapped the part that she managed to get off around my neck and choked me with it very hard.“
Ms Ali, 30, said she and her friend tried to loosen the woman’s grip, but she was “very strong”.
Ms Ali said she was in total shock and despair at what had happened and was slow to react.
“The woman ended up letting go but quickly ran off after abusing me verbally. I sat back down, adjusted my hijab over my hair and couldn’t stop crying,” she said.
Ms Ali said her four-year-old had witnessed the Epping Plaza attack and had had nightmares. Ms Ali said she was too afraid to leave the house.
Kawthar Ali was choked in front of her four-year-old daughter while eating lunch at an Epping shopping centre. (ABC News)
The attack occurred about 1pm on Thursday, 10 minutes before another Muslim woman, Ealaf al-Esawie, was punched, slapped and pushed over at the centre.
Victoria Police said in a statement investigators believed both incidents were targeted due to the women wearing head coverings and they were “treating the incidents as prejudice-motivated attacks”.
Ms Ali and Ms Al-easawi were both taken to Northern Hospital after the incidents.
Ms Ali said she had to have a neck brace attached and suffered other injuries on her knee from the struggle. Luckily, Ms Ali said her baby was unaffected.
But Ms Ali’s mental health was not.
Kawthar Ali had a neck brace attached to her after the attack. (Supplied)
“After the attack, I was scared of any person who’d walk by, that they may hit me or attack me. I was afraid, very depressed, kept crying, and I kept waking up from nightmares in the middle of the night bursting into tears,” she said.
She said she had been unable to leave the house without somebody with her, and worried about who would take her children to kindergarten and school.
“My daughter’s mental health has been really bad and I think she needs to seek counselling, but I have not been contacted by any services,” she said.
Concerns women were ‘let down’ by services
Mariam Ardati, from Action Against Islamophobia — a community-based initiative reporting on Islamophobia — has been working with Ms Ali in the aftermath.
Ms Ardati said she was concerned that both victims were not provided any mental health support immediately after the attack.
“Both Ealaf and Kawthar were victims of such a vicious attack, yet police failed to follow up with either victim until we contacted them up to five days after the incident,” Ms Ardati said.
“They were also let down by Northern Hospital who failed to refer them to counselling and support services.”
A second woman, Ealaf al-Esawie, was punched, slapped and pushed over at the centre. (Supplied)
In a statement, Victoria Police said detectives spoke with both victims on 18 February, and provided support from multi-cultural liaison officers.
“Police are also investigating a report of online threats being made against one of the victims,” a police spokesperson said.
“Local police have increased patrols around the shopping centre precinct.“
Northern Hospital has been contacted for comment.
Ms Ali said after the attack “there’s no way I was leaving the house”.
“I have been 10 years in this country and this is the first time anything like this has happened to me,” she said.
“I hope there’s respect for Muslims in Australia, whether a woman wears hijab or not, whether she has kids or is old or young, I wish we would be respected and not targeted,” she said.
Muslim community says ‘action’ needed from Australia’s leaders
Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) called on Victoria Police to conduct a transparent investigation into how the cases were handled and provide comprehensive training for all officers to adequately address hate crimes.
“We insist on an overhaul of current protocols to ensure that all Islamophobic attacks are taken seriously, and that those affected receive the necessary follow-up and referrals to victim support services,” the council said.
Australia’s special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, said he was concerned attacks against Muslim women were becoming normalised.
“How would you like walking in the street, shopping, minding your own business and suddenly from behind you’re punched, slapped and pushed?” he said.
“We are living in terrifying times, as one of the victims says she’s actually terrified so no, I would not say they are okay, I think they’re looking for leadership but more than words they’re looking for action.“
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of staying silent over the attacks.
In a post on Instagram, he said he was concerned the attacks against the women “would be swept under the rug”, as part of a pattern of Australia’s response to violence against the Islamic community.
Khawaja accused media organisations of not covering attacks against different religious groups in the same way.
He said antisemitism and Islamophobia “both deserve the same weight as they are both relevant”.
Prime minister and opposition leader condemn attack
Mr Albanese has defended himself against criticism that he has been silent about the attacks.
The prime minister previously referred the ABC to a statement by Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill when asked about the incident.
Mr Albanese released a statement late on Tuesday saying nobody in Australia deserved to be the target of hatred.
“I find this outrageous, that people were assaulted for who they are, and attacks on the basis of people’s race or their religious belief are un-Australian,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne on Wednesday.
“They are outrageous, and the perpetrators should be held fully to account and face the full force of the law.”
Mr Albanese was asked whether he thought the community treated Islamophobia differently to antisemitism.
“I regard any attacks on the basis of race or people’s faith as being an outrage, and I think that overwhelmingly Australians are harmonious,” he said.
“What we have in this country is the great privilege of living in a continent where overwhelmingly Australians respect each other and our diversity is a source of strength, is my very strong view.“
Mr Dutton told the ABC on Tuesday the violence was unacceptable and a disgrace.
“It is even more egregious if the person is targeted because of their religion or appearance. It is a disgrace,” he said in a statement.
“It is particularly disturbing to see reports that a pregnant woman was injured.
“I hope the offender is apprehended as quickly as possible and that the victims make a full recovery.”