The verbal abuse of women in headscarves is on the rise in Melbourne, say Muslim women, with some being shoved and spat on while walking.
Noble Park mother Reem Hakem said her 14-year-old daughter was recently yelled at by a man while walking home from school with her younger brother.
The Islamophobia Register, which collects reports of violence and harassment against Australian Muslims, is aware of a number of incidents where women have been abused in front of their children.
These cases of abuse reportedly spike during and after events that reflect negatively on the Islamic community, such as the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege and recent debate about banning the burqa.
Meadow Heights kindergarten educator Rehab Ayoubi believes violence against Muslim women can only be addressed through "knowledge".
"If people really know what Islam is about then they would know there is no link between Islam and whatever is being portrayed in the media," she said.
Melanie Schleiger from Victoria Legal Aid said often people who had been abused in the streets did not realize that a criminal offence had been committed "and they have a right to make a complaint to the police and the right to make a civil claim if they want to".
/257