AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A new report by the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) shows Islamophobia is on the rise in Australia, with more than 85% of incidents going unreported.
Released during ICV’s first conference on Islamophobia in Melbourne, the report recorded 96 direct cases of abuse against Muslims since 2021. Twenty-six of these occurred in the first half of 2025 alone, ranging from verbal insults and public harassment to workplace discrimination.
In the same period, more than 3,200 indirect cases were logged, including online hate speech, hostile correspondence, and dehumanizing media portrayals.
The report highlights distrust of police and government agencies as the main reason victims do not report incidents, leaving many without access to support or justice.
In response, the New South Wales government has launched a $1 million “Action Against Islamophobia” program. The initiative provides a dedicated hotline, a case management system for victims, and awareness campaigns in the community. It is being run in partnership with the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC).
ANIC president Imam Shadi Alsuleiman warned that Islamophobia was affecting Muslims’ daily religious practices, such as attending mosques or wearing the hijab, and often appeared in the form of “microaggressions” that had become normalized.
**************
End/ 345
