Advocacy for Muslim Women
Identities
Notions of identity carry complex political, social, and familial meanings. The following terms are defined for clarity only and not to force anyone into a particular regional and ethnic grouping. Self-identification is appropriately a matter of individual decision.
- Arab, Middle Eastern, and West Asian refers to people from the Middle East, also called West Asia, and includes peoples who trace their origins to the countries, diasporas and/or ethnicities of these regions.
- Asian includes peoples of Central Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and West Asian ancestry, i.e., those who trace their origins to the countries, diasporas and/or ethnicities of the above regions.
- Muslim, which includes the Sunni and Shia’ sects, refers to people who self-identify, culturally or religiously (whether they are practicing or not), as Muslim.
Quick Facts
- In 2015, there were 3.3 million Muslims of all ages in the U.S. (about 1% of the U.S. population)
PEW Research Center: Muslims and Islam - In 2011, 63% of U.S. Muslims were immigrants
PEW Research Center: Muslim Americans - In 2017, most (35%) foreign-born Muslim adults in the U.S. come from South Asia
PEW Research Center: 2017 Survey of American Muslims - A survey of 801 Muslims in the U.S. found that 31% reported having experienced intimate partner abuse and 53% reported having experienced domestic violence
Peaceful Families & Project Sakina 2011 Domestic Violence Survey
- Not all Arabs are Muslims. They can be Christians, Druze, Baha’is, or Jews. Christian sects in the Middle East include Antiochian Orthodox, Assyrian, Chaldean, Coptic, Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Maronite, Melkite, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic, and Syrian Orthodox.
- Not all West Asians, such as Iranians/Persians and Turks, are Arabs.
- Indigenous Muslims refers to African American Muslims.
- Immigrant and refugee Muslims in the U.S. come from Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan; MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Region: e.g., Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Palestine; Africa, e.g., Somalia; and Europe, e.g., Bosnia.
We have collected resources for Muslim communities because so many Muslim immigrants living in the U.S. come from various regions in Asia: Central, East, South, Southeast, and West Asia, i.e. the Middle East.
Resources on Advocacy for Muslim Women
What is Gendered Islamophobia? 2021
Building upon a history of shared values and intersecting work, the Partnership to End Gendered Islamophobia brings together HEART, Justice for Muslims Collective and Vigilant Love to build analysis, tools and power to dismantle Gendered Islamophobia. This workshop is specifically tailored towards practitioners in the field of gender-based violence and gender justice. We focus on ways practitioners can better understand how gendered Islamophobia shows up in their work, and ways to respond in holistic ways. The workshop includes a focus on the intersection of gendered Islamophobia, gender-based violence and reproductive justice. The workshop emphasizes the invisibility of state violence in understanding gender-based violence and particularly the implications of the War on Terror and Islamophobia for Muslim survivors of gender-based violence. Moreover, this workshop includes discussions upon intra-community solidarity and what can be done within broader Asian American spaces to address gendered Islamophobia.
Islamic Marriage Contracts: A Resource Guide for Legal Professionals, Advocates, Imams & Communities
A resource for legal professionals and advocates working with Muslims, containing information about Islam and gender equity in marriage and divorce.
Bibliography: Gender, Domestic Violence & Muslim Women
A collection of resources on domestic violence in Muslim communities, organized by author.
Bibliography: Muslim Women and Domestic Violence: Three Key Topics
Resources on domestic violence in Muslim communities; Islamic rights of women; and notions of gender, race, culture & identity for Muslim women.
Domestic Violence in Muslim Communities, 2011
A compilation of statistics on domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and help-seeking in Muslim communities.
Other Resources
Articles and presentations on Islamic law and American courts by Abed Awad, esq.
HEART Women & Girls: promotes sexual health and sexual violence awareness in Muslim communities through health education, advocacy, research and training
- HEART to HEART video series on sex education
- Sexual violence resources
Human Rights Campaign Foundation: Coming Home to Islam and to Self (2015): a guide aimed at LGBTQ American Muslims who are on the journey toward living fully in their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and in their faith and its traditions
KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights
Legal Glossaries in Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu: Superior Court of California
Peaceful Families Project: training, technical assistance, and resources on preventing domestic violence in Muslim families
PEW Research Center: Resources on Muslims in America
Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality: WISE Up: Knowledge Ends Extremism (2017)
WISE, Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality: information on domestic violence