Women facing anti-Muslim backlash

Since the attacks on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, dozens of anti-Muslim attacks have been reported in France, including numerous attacks against individual Muslims, mosques, or Muslim-owned businesses. With each passing day, more Muslims are worrying about mistreatment, harassment, or assault. Those whose Muslim identities are most visibleMuslim women wearing headscarvesare particularly likely to bear the brunt of the backlash. Indeed, Muslim religious leaders report an uptick in complaints of anti-Muslim bias, predominantly by Muslim women. All this comes on the heels of a troubling rise in Islamophobic incidents against individuals and institutions in France that neared 700 in 2013, up from less than 50 in 2005.

Sadly, it is women that are bearing much of the anti-Muslim backlash.

Women’s bodies should never be the targets of public anger, including in France.

CNN