About us
Islamophobia Register Australia offers a secure and reliable service that allows people from across Australia to report any form of anti-Muslim abuse.
The Islamophobia Register Australia was founded on
17 September 2014 in response to the growing anecdotal evidence
suggesting a rise in incidents of Islamophobia.
The Islamophobia Register Australia’s first logo designed by Mariam Veiszadeh at the time of its launch & establishment in 2014.
The Register is a non-for profit organisation and is the first of its kind in Australia to provide a unique platform for incidents of Islamophobia to be reported, recorded and analysed into a published report.
Operating for over 9 years, the Register has been collecting hate incident data by working in partnership with Universities and is the leading organisation tracking and tackling Islamophobia in Australia.
During these years, the Register has published 4 national reports on Islamophobia in Australia, with a highly developed methodology for analysing patterns and trends in both online and offline hate, as well as a separate report analysing Australian media coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza (from October 2023). These reports have informed the media and the general public about Islamophobia both in Australia and abroad.
Respect, Dignity, Security
OUR VISION: An inclusive and just Australian society.
OUR MISSION: To lead the national effort in tracking, reporting and addressing Islamophobia through evidence-based research, integrated support, policy reform and education.
What we do
The Register has been established to also give public benevolent relief to victims of hate incidents, crimes, vilification or discrimination to regain a sense of control, agency, certainty, and to feel that their place and dignity matters to the rest of the community and Australia’s institutions.
The Register:
1. Collects data on Islamophobic incidents and Islamophobic content
This includes data on hate incidents, hate crimes, religious discrimination and vilification, whether online or in the physical world. To report an Islamophobic incident or Islamophobic content, click here.
2. Delivers individual support services
The Register can link individuals who have experienced or witnessed Islamophobia to free legal advice and/or culturally sensitive mental health support. We can also offer advocacy to individuals. To learn more about available support, see here.
3. Publishes national research reports on Islamophobia in Australia
We have partnered with leading academics and universities in Australia to publish academic reports on Islamophobia. You can read our ground-breaking reports here.
4. Provides education and training
The Register has produced a range of educational materials on Islamophobia in Australia, including factsheets, posters and videos. We also deliver evidence-based workshops (both generic and bespoke workshops targeted to various segments of the community). To view our educational materials or to book a workshop, go to the Resources tab on our website.
5. Engages in policy and law reform work
The Register contributes to policy and law reform processes by way of making formal submissions and/or providing comment on draft legislation, policies, procedures or other regulatory instruments, as well as inquiries and reviews established by Government or other organisations.
6. Engages in advocacy
In addition to all of the above, the Register also advocates against Islamophobia through other means, including:
- Community engagement
- Media engagement and appearances
- Making representations to government, law enforcement and other institutions and organisations
- Providing a platform for Muslim women, who are overrepresented in report statistics, to be heard and hear one another.
Through our advocacy, we help foster meaningful national dialogue to help prevent future harmful behaviours like hate incidents, hate crime, unlawful vilification and discrimination based on protected characteristics like race and religion.
View our previous press releases here, and some of the media articles we’ve been featured in here.
“Unless reported, count it as if not lived! Islamophobia continuously destructs everyday Muslim Australians’ lives. Reporting your experience is essential to raise awareness about Islamophobia in Australia. The more Islamophobia is reported, the better we can identify and deal with it.”
TREED
Akin to strong trees with deep-roots, the Register prides itself on being TREED in the Islamophobia space.
Track-Record: The Register has been successfully tracking Islamophobia and assisting victims for close to 10 years. The Register was the first organisation in Australia to develop and implement the concept of building a Register – recording, tracking and countering Islamophobia. Having built almost a decade of experience and know-how in this space, we have become a trusted organisation by the Australian Muslim community to report their experiences, and have built an exceptional track-record for the tracking and tackling of Islamophobia in Australia.
Expertise: Over a period of almost 10 years, the Register has built expertise on Islamophobia in Australia. We have published 4 academic reports on Islamophobia in Australia and a media report, written by Australia’s leading experts on Islamophobia, entailing thorough and high-level analyses of trends in Islamophobia in Australia. We have also developed extensive networks in anti-racism and refined best practice in assisting victims of Islamophobic incidents get the support that they need.
Endorsement: The Register has the endorsement of a large number of Muslim organisations in various states, and has built an extensive network of partnerships and collaborations both within and outside of the Muslim community. To view our ever-growing list of partner organisations see here.
Diversity and Inclusivity: The Register represents the diversity of the Australian Muslim community in its Board of Directors and staff, including Muslims from a wide variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds and representatives from both Sunni and Shia communities. We also represent anyone who experiences Islamophobia – all Muslims, irrespective of their race, sect, culture or background, as well as non-Muslims who may experience Islamophobia due to perceived faith. The Register is a truly national organisation, with its Board and staff hailing from various states in Australia including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, and assisting Australian Muslims in every state and territory.
What is hate crime and Islamophobia?
Hate crime, also called bias crime, is used to describe criminal and sub-criminal incidents motivated by bias or hatred towards a group of people. Victims are targeted because of their religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, gender or other characteristic (Asquith 2015; Mason 2019).
Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness. (All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims).
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