A British-born Sikh woman in her 20s was raped and assaulted in Birmingham in a racially motivated attack, the police say. (Representative Image/AP)
A British-born Sikh woman in her 20s was reportedly raped and brutally assaulted in what the police are calling a racially motivated crime in Birmingham’s Oldbury. The incident happened on the morning of September 9, between 8-8.30 am, the police say.
“The woman has told us that a racist remark was made to her during the attack,” a West Midlands police spokesperson said, as per a BBC report. The police say the the suspects are two white men, one with a shaved head and heavily built, wearing a dark sweatshirt and gloves, the other with a grey zipped top.
The UK Sikh Federation said that the assailants told the survivor she didn’t “belong in this country” and that she needed to “get out”.
Local MP Gurinder Singh Josan, whose constituency office is just minutes from the crime scene, condemned the assault.
“This is a truly horrific attack and my thoughts are with the victim. I am reassured Sandwell Police are doing everything they possibly can to find the perpetrators. The incident is being treated as a hate crime. The police are working extremely sympathetically with the victim at her pace who has been traumatised,” he said.
Sikh Youth UK said they had met with and were supporting the survivor and her family.