Muslim women report spike in harassment, discrimination since Bill 21 tabled

There has been a sharp increase in harassment directed at Muslim women in Quebec since the province tabled draft legislation to ban religious symbols in parts of the civil service, according to a women's advocacy group.

Justice Femme, a Montrealorganization that offers legal and psychological support to women, said it received more than 40 callsfrom women who wear the hijabafter Bill 21 was tabled in late March.

Thewomen reported a wide range of incidents, from aggressive comments to physical violence.

On Tuesday, the organization intends to submit a summary of its findingsto the elected officials studying the bill. Among other things, the summarywill detail:

• Four recent cases of physical assault in public, including two attempts to rip off the hijaband one of a woman being spat at.
• Six cases of harassment and intimidation at work.
• More than a dozen cases of cyber-bullying, prompting several women to remove profile photos featuring their hijab.

The legislative hearings into Bill 21 are scheduled to resume Tuesday in Quebec City. At last week's hearings, multiple critics of the bill testified it could heightenIslamophobiaor other forms of hatred.

HanadiSaad, president of Justice Femme, detailed her group's findings Monday at an event in Montrealthat featured several groups that were denied invitations to take part in the National Assembly hearings.

The event was organized by the Coalition Inclusion Qubec, an umbrella organization that representsseveral faith and community groups opposed to the so-called secularism bill.

In her presentation, Saadalso reported two women were denied jobs at daycare education centres when their prospective employers told them they would have to remove their hijabwhile at work.

If the bill passes, it would apply to public teachers, police officers and government lawyers, but not to daycare workers.

Saad said her organization investigates all the cases reported, to ensurethe complaints are well-founded andprovide more tailored support to victims.

All the incidents in the Justice Femme report took place in the greater Montreal area.

Minister urges victims to come forward

The number of cases her organization has received since March is"abnormal," Saadsaid. She said the cases also demonstrate Muslim women are losing faith in the justice system.

"In all the cases, without exception, [the women] categorically refused to file complaints using the same phrase: the government is in the process of legitimizingdiscrimination," Saad said Monday.

"We no longer have confidence in the system."

Upon learning of the figures,Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, who sponsored the controversial bill, called on victims ofdiscrimination and hate to come forwardand file complaints.

"The secularism bill encourages better living together,"Jolin-Barrettesaid through a spokesperson. "The Quebec government decries, without nuance, all acts of discrimination."

Last week, the government was twice forced to distance itself from controversial statements about Islam that supporters of the bill made at the hearings.

Premier Franois Legault has repeatedly called for the bill to be debated calmly. He wants it adopted by mid-June.