Senate report overlooks mental health support needed for Muslim women, Edmonton group says

An Edmonton Muslim psychologist says a new Senate report reflects the growing Islamophobia faced by her clients and community but a key element is missing: mental health support.

The report released Thursday calls for urgent action to stem the rising tide of hatred against Muslim Canadians. 

Gendered Islamophobia is most common, the report found, with Muslim women being the main targets of violence and intimidation.

"Visible symbols of faith, such as the hijab, increase vulnerability to hate crimes, discrimination, and employment obstacles, the report says.

"Moreover, these hardships can subsequently lead to substantial mental health issues."

Among the 13 recommendations, the report proposes new Criminal Code offences for hate-motivated crimes and new educational campaigns and resources.

But the measures put forward "do not spell out mental health supports, which are needed for victims affected directly and indirectly by Islamophobia" as called for by Edmonton-based advocacy group Sisters Dialogue.

"(We) have held a number of healing circles with diverse groups of Muslim women. With each session, we saw the need for more of these safe healing spaces, including community care, and culturally appropriate mental health supports," Sisters Dialogue said in their September 2022 submission to the commission.
Salima Versi, a psychologist and member of Sisters Dialogue who largely counsels racialized Muslim women, said the lack of resources is an ongoing battle. 

"We are seeing such a massive spike in people's ability to manage the world — like really, really struggling with that — and there just isn't any funding," Versi told CBC News.

Getting the conversation started

During the year-long study, the Senate committee heard from dozens of Muslim groups and individuals across the country.

"I wanted a conversation started, whether it was negative or positive," committee chair and Senator Salma Ataullahjan said in an interview Friday. "It's getting the attention that we wanted it to get. And people who are seeing the negative comments are realizing that we aren't wrong, that Islamophobia exists. It's thriving. Muslims are running scared."

When asked about the concern raised by Sisters Dialogue, Ataullahjan agreed the report should have included a recommendation about mental health.

The Senate committee visited Edmonton after a rash of attacks on racialized Muslim women. Most of the women attacked were Black.

"In Edmonton is where we heard some of the most painful testimony where when we took a break, some of our senators were so teary-eyed because we had these young women who sat there and poured their heart out to us about how they were marginalized or how their hijabs were pulled, coffee was thrown on them, they were spat on," recalled Ataullahjan.

"And I was just wondering what drives that level of hate, drives you to do these actions to another human being who's just out there minding her own business?"

Once adopted, the federal government has 150 days to respond to the Senate committee's report.

"We will be reviewing how these recommendations can better support Canadians affected by Islamophobia," wrote Laurent de Casanove, press secretary for the Office of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities 

"These concerns reflect the need for a comprehensive response to this issue."

The emailed statement, which also emphasized action being taken to address antisemitism, did not address CBC's question about funding for the mental health of Muslim Canadians.

Ataullahjan, who wants to see a national strategy, said she is tired of empty promises.

"We can put all kinds of strategies into place, but until we implement them I keep saying this is just a useless piece of paper."

Ataullahjan said she was warned not to rock the boat before initiating the study and fact-finding mission.

But the senator said she had to be true to herself to ensure all Muslim Canadian children feel safe.

"We will die for this country if we have to and yet Muslims are looked at with mistrust and you're not allowed to voice your concerns about that mistrust and if you say something positive about your religion, you're perceived as a terrorist sympathizer," Ataullahjan said.

• Reclaiming Public Space

Versi said she laments that her children are less safe than she was, growing up in the Mill Woods neighbourhood in the city's south side. But her advice to all those hurting is the same thing she tells her children.

"When we are facing a world that is so incredibly harsh and really not designed for human well-being, the only thing left for us to do is to plant flowers.

"We don't control everybody around us. We can't often change perspectives, certainly not overnight, and so we focus on the thing in front of us and we do the good that we can and we trust that that good will turn into something beautiful and worthwhile."