'Born Here, Yet Unsafe': Muslim Victim Reflects on Melbourne Shopping Centre Attack
A woman says she feels unsafe and afraid to leave her residence following an assault she perceives as an Islamophobic attack.
Victoria Police confirmed they are aware of the incident and have launched an investigation.
The woman, whose identity is being withheld for safety and privacy reasons, stated that she was at Pacific Epping, a shopping center in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, during her work break when she was approached and struck on the face by another woman.
According to the woman, the assailant, whom she said appeared suddenly, forcibly pushed her in the chest, causing her to fall onto the tiled floor. "[She] pushed me in my chest, grabbed my chest and pushed me so hard on the tiles, and I fell to the ground, and when I fell, I felt like every bone of mine broke, she shoved me so hard," she told SBS News.
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She recounted that the attacker walked away without acknowledgment of the incident. Nearby witnesses assisted her and contacted security personnel. Shortly after, another woman approached her, claiming she had also been assaulted.
Although neither victim observed the assailant's face clearly, the woman informed SBS News that both believed it was the same person based on visible clothing and features. The woman expressed her belief that the attacks were Islamophobic in nature, noting that both victims wore the hijab.
The woman shared that the incident has left her deeply distressed and fearful. "I've just been crying, the scene just can't go from my mind," she said. "Nothing [has] happened to me like that before, it's the first time, especially [since] I was born here, this is my country. I'm not safe in my own country."
She further disclosed that both she and the other victim sustained injuries and sought medical attention. According to her, hospital staff prioritized the other woman, who was pregnant, for treatment. She stated, "They took [the other woman] first because she was pregnant, and it took several hours until they called my name."
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She described her physical condition, saying, "I had really bad back pain, I couldn't breathe properly, [it felt] as if there was a knife between my ribs." She was referred to a specialist clinic for back pain and to a psychologist for emotional trauma following tests and x-rays.
She detailed additional injuries, stating, "I've got scratches and redness all over my arm ... my eye was red and teary, and [I've got] scratches all over my left side of my cheek, and a slight bruise on my left cheek from the hit." She added, "I'm bruised all over ... I haven't been sleeping properly, all my body hurts."
In a statement, Victoria Police confirmed receiving a report of an assault in Epping on 13 February. The authorities stated that an unidentified female suspect allegedly pushed a woman to the ground and fled the scene with another woman and two men. Police were also informed that the same suspect assaulted a second woman.
Source: Agencies
