We spoke to Asian women of different faiths in Birmingham and the Black Country who voiced concerns for their safety. Some said they had previously felt safe living here but were now scared of leaving their homes, or even being in the house alone.
Shabnam Ansari, a Muslim woman from Dudley, said: “I wear a hijab so I’ve always been aware that I might be a victim of racism.
“But what happened in Oldbury and Walsall makes me feel like being brown is enough of a target to be physically and sexually abused.”
Jazzy Kular, a 51-year-old teacher from Birmingham, said the rapes had made her afraid to open the door to strangers.
Council worker Kavita Masawala, 41, from South Birmingham, added: “As an Asian woman born and raised in Birmingham, hearing about these rapes is heartbreaking.
“We’re in 2025 and still having to watch over our backs and be worried about our skin colour.
“I now have to think twice before going for a walk.”
Mahsooma, a mother from Birmingham who didn’t give her surname, visits Walsall’s play areas and said she was unsure if she could take her children any more.
“I’ve never felt this way before,” she said.