Arab and Muslim Australians reported an increase in offensive remarks and physical violence against them following the September 11 2001 attacks in the United States and the Bali bombings, a new study showed.
A report by Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) into the views and experiences of Arabs and Muslims in Australia recommended the government introduce a national anti-discrimination and vilification law.
The report, which focused on the experiences of 1,400 participants in 69 focus groups held across Australia last year, was released by the commission's acting race discrimination commissioner William Jonas.
A key finding was that 90 percent of female respondents reported experiencing racism abuse or violence since September 11.
Jonas said the report's findings corroborated anecdotal evidence about a rise in violence against Muslims and Arabs.
"Most participants experienced an increase in the level of discrimination and vilification following September 11, 2001," the report said.
But he said this had not been reflected in a rising number of complaints to police, due to a fear of victimisation.
Jonas said the findings were not surprising because some people expressed their religion in a way that was different to other people.
"People, when they suffer discrimination, usually suffer it because they are visibly different," he told reporters.
He also believed the community could do more to counter prejudice against the Islamic community.