Racially Motivated Sexual Violence in the UK: She Asked, “Will I Be Next?”
By Freedom Charity
Featuring commentary from Aneeta Prem MBE, Founder and President of Freedom Charity, UK human rights campaigner and author of But It’s Not Fair and Cut Flowers.
A question no woman should ever have to ask
Yesterday, a woman spoke to Freedom Charity’s founder, Aneeta Prem MBE, with fear in her voice.
She said: “As a woman of colour, I’m scared. Will it be me, my sister, my mum, my aunt? Are any of us safe?”
Her words echo across Britain. The UK is a country that values fairness and equality. Yet, racially motivated sexual violence in the UK continues to occur.
Two women have been raped in separate racially aggravated attacks in the West Midlands. West Midlands Police are investigating both crimes as hate-motivated offences. These attacks show how race, gender and misogyny often overlap in the most violent ways.
“These are not isolated crimes,” says Aneeta Prem MBE.
“They remind us that racism and misogyny collide far too often. When they do, the cost is borne by women who should have been protected.”
Oldbury – 9 September 2025
In early September, a young Sikh woman in her twenties faced a horrific attack on Tame Road, Oldbury. Two white men assaulted her and shouted racist abuse, including: “Go back to your country.”
Those five words reveal how hatred still hides in plain sight within our communities.
West Midlands Police are treating the case as a racially aggravated rape (Sky News, 2025; The Guardian, 2025). Several arrests followed, and suspects remain on bail as enquiries progress.
The Sikh community has spoken of fear and distress. Many have described a painful silence. When women of colour are attacked, the public outrage is often quieter, the empathy slower, and the response delayed. As a result, many survivors feel abandoned by the system that should protect them.
Walsall – 25 October 2025
Six weeks later, another woman in her twenties, believed to be of Indian or Punjabi heritage, suffered a similar assault in Walsall’s Park Hall area. Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a racially aggravated rape (Express & Star, 2025).
The suspect is described as a white man in his thirties with short hair and dark clothing. Police released CCTV footage to help identify him.
Meanwhile, community leaders, including Preet Kaur Gill MP and Gurinder Singh Josa,n have urged the government to act. They have called for a national strategy to confront hate-based sexual violence and rebuild trust with minority communities.
Prem agrees.
“Women of colour have been invisible in too many policy discussions. We need a national approach that recognises how racism and sexism operate together. Treating them separately only deepens the problem.”
Beyond two crimes: a wider truth
According to the Home Office (2024), racially motivated hate crimes in England and Wales rose by more than nine per cent last year. However, sexual violence linked to racial hostility remains under-reported and rarely acknowledged.
Human rights experts call this “intersectional invisibility.” It means the combined effects of racism and sexism are not properly measured or understood.
Freedom Charity warns that the same patterns appear in other forms of abuse, such as forced marriage, dishonour abuse and FGM.
“Whether it is called dishonour abuse, racial hatred or sexual violence, the purpose is the same: to silence and to intimidate,” says Prem.
“Survivors show extraordinary courage simply by speaking out. Therefore, the least we can do as a nation is listen and act.”
The silence that follows
Despite coverage by BBC News, Sky News and The Guardian, the national discussion has been limited.
For many survivors, this quiet response deepens their pain. It sends a message that their trauma is not seen or shared.
Prem reflects:
“The UK prides itself on fairness and justice. Yet when hate crimes like these occur, the silence is deafening. This is not about blame; it is about truth. We cannot fix what we refuse to face.”
She adds with conviction:
“Silence doesn’t protect anyone. It protects perpetrators and punishes the brave.”
However, silence is not inevitable. Public attention, media coverage and strong policy leadership can change outcomes for survivors and prevent future harm.
What must change
Freedom Charity is calling for clear national action.
-
A National Strategy on Hate-Based Sexual Violence
The government should unite the Home Office, CPS, NHS, police and charities to address race and gender together. -
Specialist Training for Professionals
Police, healthcare staff and teachers must learn to recognise racialised sexual violence and respond with empathy and understanding. -
Accurate Data and Transparency
Police forces should record and publish detailed data on racially aggravated sexual offences. As a result, patterns will become clearer and prevention more effective. -
Education and Prevention
Schools and communities must teach equality, empathy and shared humanity. In addition, these programmes should empower young people to challenge prejudice. -
Support for Survivors
Women of colour must have better access to trauma-informed counselling, legal advice and safe reporting options. Finally, survivors should see justice delivered swiftly and publicly.
A call to conscience
“When a woman is raped because of the colour of her skin, the whole country is diminished,” says Prem.
“We must respond not with anger but with courage, compassion and reform.”
Her words echo global human rights standards. The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women warns that racialised sexual violence must be treated as a serious human rights issue.
Therefore, the UK’s response will be judged not by sympathy but by visible action.
Standing with survivors
Freedom Charity continues to provide education, training and a confidential helpline for anyone at risk. Its message is simple: you are not alone.
Prem concludes:
“These crimes happened here, in the UK, in 2025. That should shake every one of us. Change begins with truth, and truth begins with listening.”
About Freedom Charity
Freedom Charity works to prevent forced marriage, dishonour abuse, female genital mutilation and all forms of violence against women and girls.
Founded by Aneeta Prem MBE, it delivers education and training across the UK. Its books, But It’s Not Fair and Cut Flowers, are part of the national curriculum and accredited by the PSHE Association.
Visit www.freedomcharity.org.uk
References
BBC News (Oct 2025): Rape suspects bailed over Oldbury attack
Sky News (Oct 2025): Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Walsall
The Guardian (Sept 2025): Sikh woman attacked in Oldbury treated as hate crime
Express & Star (Oct 2025): Police appeal after Walsall racially aggravated rape
Times of India / NDTV (Sept–Oct 2025): Coverage of West Midlands cases
Home Office (2024): Hate Crime, England and Wales, 2023–24
West Midlands Police (2025): Public statements and appeals