Victim of ‘racially aggravated’ rape in Oldbury thanks community for support

Eleanor LawsonWest MidlandsMatthew Cooper/PA WireThe lady reported being attacked by two males on Tuesday morning close to Tame Highway in Oldbury, West MidlandsA lady who was raped in what police are treating as “a racially aggravated assault” has thanked the group for his or her “love and help”. The lady, who’s in her 20s, reported being attacked by two males simply earlier than 08:30 BST on Tuesday close to Tame Highway in Oldbury, West Midlands. Police mentioned the lads made a racist comment through the assault.She has now launched a press release via the charity Sikh Youth UK wherein she thanked folks for supporting her and her household.In her assertion, she mentioned: “I’d by no means want this on anybody. All I used to be doing was going about my day on my strategy to work, and what has occurred has deeply affected us.””Via all of it, my household has been my rock and my group has stood robust beside me,” she added.The Sikh Federation (UK), which has been supporting the sufferer, mentioned the perpetrators reportedly advised her through the assault: “You do not belong on this nation, get out.”West Midlands Police are nonetheless searching two males and mentioned they’d “numerous optimistic strains of enquiry”.They added: “We urgently wish to communicate with anybody within the space who could have seen two males.”The primary man has been described as being white with a shaved head and of heavy construct. He was additionally mentioned to be carrying a dark-coloured sweatshirt and had gloves on.The second man was additionally white and wore a gray high with a silver zip.In her assertion, the sufferer mentioned: “The police are doing their greatest to seek out these accountable and I really hope they’re caught in order that this does not occur to anybody else.”‘I can’t thanks sufficient’A group demonstration in help of the sufferer is because of happen, beginning on the Lions of the Nice Warfare memorial in Smethwick – a landmark devoted to the reminiscence of Sikh troopers – with an deal with to the group, earlier than strolling to Tame Highway in Oldbury the place the demonstration will happen.All through her assertion, the lady repeatedly thanked folks for the help her and her household had obtained.”We’re going via quite a bit, however the power and kindness proven by the appropriate folks in the neighborhood has been unbelievable, and I am unable to thank them sufficient for being my voice,” she mentioned.”There was a lot love and help, and I’m actually humbled. “I wish to personally thank my household, Sikh Youth UK who’ve been so supportive, the native Gurdwara committees and Sikh orgs, and everybody in my group who has stood by me.”I can’t thanks sufficient for serving to me get via this troublesome time.”‘Severely anxious’The Sikh Federation (UK) is in contact with the sufferer and her household and says it has been offering her with help.Chatting with the BBC, Dabinderjit Singh from the federation mentioned: “That is remarkable. It is actually troublesome making an attempt to get throughout how severely anxious persons are, particularly younger ladies. “Persons are wanting again over their shoulders.”Mr Singh referred to a different current assault within the West Midlands, when two aged Sikh taxi drivers have been attacked close to Wolverhampton Railway Station in August.Police are additionally treating that as racially aggravated.”These two incidents occurred fairly shortly in succession and never that far aside,” Mr Singh mentioned.”We’re usually anxious in regards to the political local weather created round folks that look completely different. “There’s concern from a nationwide perspective in regards to the rhetoric created across the nation about foreigners.”There’s been a sense within the nation because the referendum to cross on the blame to individuals who look completely different.”