Even 10-year-olds Responsible For Anti-Muslim Abuse in United Kingdom, Study
By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald ReporterThe Muslim community is experiencing frequent abuse in the United Kingdom with perpetrators being as young as 10 years of age, according to a new study by Teesside University.
The finding is based on the data collected over a period of 10 months by the Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) project.
Researchers found that about 734 self-reported cases of anti-Islamic abuse between May 2013 and February 2014. The figure is equivalent to more than two a day on an average.
The study also found that around two fifths of the cases registered by Tell MAMA had a link to far-right groups, over half (54 percent) of the victims were women and approximately less than one in every six victims filed a complaint with the police.
Out of 734 self-reported cases, 599 were connected to incidents of online abuse and threats.
While the rest of them were carried out "offline" like violence and distribution of anti-Muslim literature, threats and assaults. Around three fifths (60 percent) of these "offline" attacks are alleged to have been executed by individuals aged between 10-30 years.
"Muslims remain among the most likely minority group in Britain to be targeted for a hate crime. 'Trigger' events like the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby clearly magnify the possibility of far-right groups and others victimising Muslims simply for who they are and what they believe," Study author Dr Matthew Feldman, co-director of the Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, said in a statement.
The study observed a spike in reported incidents following the aftermath of soldier Fusilier Rigby's murder in Woolwich, south-east London May 22, 2013.
The finding is published by the Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at the University.