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The bullying of Muslim women on TikTok is a serious issue that highlights the intersection of online harassment, Islamophobia, and misogyny.
Online, there is a troubling trend of callous trolls bullying Muslim women from Birmingham. Women have disclosed that their photos are being altered in a sexual way or that untrue rumours about them "sleeping around" have been circulated.
This is not your average bullying; there are aspects of honour and shame involved. BirminghamLive heard from anonymous women who described how their families rejected them for "dishonouring themselves."
After being labelled a'slut' and 'whore' on the internet, one distraught woman disclosed that she was suicidal. After being bullied online herself, a London-based anonymous lady has spent the past six months gathering women's tales.
"He called me a randi (prostitute) and said men come to my house for my daughter too. This happened over six months and started last year. He doesn't know me and none of these bullies know anyone.
"This is our shame and our children will group up seeing this." After reporting the content to TikTok, the videos were subsequently removed, she claims. Another anonymous woman from Birmingham shared her experience: "I had regular photos on Facebook, like birthday pictures. Someone took them, edited them, and labeled me with offensive names like slut, whore, and randi (prostitute).
"The images had my face, but they altered the body, replacing it with someone else's in revealing clothing. In our community, this is seen as deeply shameful.
"Six to seven months ago, women went live on Facebook accusing me of practicing black magic. It pushed me to the brinkāI wanted to end my life.
"I have never met this woman, but she has a history of harassing others. Thatās the reality of TikTokāpeople donāt need to know you to be envious.
"I reported it to the police, but they said they couldnāt help and advised me to report it to TikTok. However, nothing changed. My husband and family turned their backs on me; even my siblings refused to speak to me.
"They said, āSheās a disgrace, bringing shame,ā despite me being a good person. I no longer live with my husband."
The Online Safety Act 2023 offers protection to both children and adults on digital platforms and holds social media companies accountable for user safety. The act also amends the Sexual Offences Act 2003, making it illegal to share or threaten to share intimate images, including deepfakes, without consent.
Currently, a new bill is under debate in the House of Lordsāthe Non-Consensual Sexually Explicit Images and Videos (Offences) Bill. Introduced by Conservative Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, this bill seeks to criminalize the creation and solicitation of intimate images of individuals without their consent.
This includes deepfake images, where technology is used to manipulate someone's face into fabricated scenarios. Baroness Shaista Gohir, CEO of Muslim Women's Network UK, stated: "New technologies enable offenders to create sexually explicit deepfake images of women.
"These images are then used to instill fear, humiliate, and make victims feel unsafe, whether by sharing them or threatening to do so. This is a tool for maintaining power and control.
"In some communities, such images are deliberately used to shame women and heighten their risk of honor-based abuse."
Baroness Gohir also pointed out that many Muslim women do not report online harassment because they are unaware of their legal rights in the UK.
Recently, BirminghamLive reported several TikTok accounts that targeted Muslim women, leading the platform to issue permanent bans. However, an anonymous contact from London claimed that some users threatened to return under new accounts, making the issue persistent.
A TikTok spokesperson stated that their Community Guidelines prohibit harassment, degradation, or bullying. Towards the end of 2024, they claimed that 89% of videos removed for violating the Harassment & Bullying Community Guidelines were taken down proactively.
The spokesperson added that thousands of safety professionals work to maintain a secure environment on the app. They also emphasized that TikTok does not allow content featuring private individuals without their consent.
In response to inquiries from BirminghamLive, West Midlands Police directed attention to their Online Safety resources, which address concerns such as deepfakes, revenge porn, and the spread of false information.
