Recommendation 1

Muslims in the UK face increasing levels of online, verbal, and physical abuse and discrimination. Muslim women are disproportionately likely to face such abuse and experience it in ways that are specifically gendered and often linked to their race and/or ethnic identity, as well as their perceived inability to retaliate. Such abuse and harassment occurs in everyday situations, including in shops and on public transport. It can also come from within their communities, where patriarchal networks can challenge women who seek greater autonomy, and perpetrators of abuse rely on customs and traditions to justify their behaviour. This freedom-restricting harassment, both from direct experience and the fear of experiencing it, leads to self- censorship and a withdrawal from participation in public life. It has a deeply damaging impact on individual lives and a corrosive effect on community cohesion. (Conclusion, Paragraph 35)