A 64-year-old Muslim woman who was allegedly assaulted at Ottawa’s Blair transit station is questioning why police never made the incident public, despite confirming that their hate and bias crime unit handled the investigation.
Arfon Barow, who wears a hijab, says the attack on August 25 left her with lasting injuries. “I want people to know my pain, to see what happened to me,” she said through interpreter Abdirizak Mohamud, director of the Suradway Parents’ Association of Ottawa.
Barow said she was verbally harassed and filmed by a woman on an OC Transpo bus. When she got off at Blair Station, the woman allegedly followed her and assaulted her. “She came after me and started hitting me without saying anything,” Barow recalled. “There were many people, but nobody intervened.”
Police confirmed that special constables responded to an assault complaint on Blair Road that day and later charged a 49-year-old woman with assault causing bodily harm. Yet, neither the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) nor OC Transpo issued any public statement at the time.
Barow says she repeatedly checked the news, waiting for coverage that never came. “When it happened to me, total silence,” she said.
Mohamud criticized the lack of transparency, arguing that consistent reporting of hate-motivated incidents is essential for building trust. “When some cases get immediate attention while others involving Black women go unreported, it sends a painful message,” he said.
OPS told CBC that not every hate-related investigation is publicized, citing privacy and investigative concerns. However, they routinely share updates when public assistance is needed.
Community leaders say that inconsistency undermines trust. Aisha Sherazi, a Muslim community leader, called it “a catch-22” for police but said awareness is crucial. “As a visible Muslim, I would like to know what’s happening. Transparency helps prevent fear and builds shared responsibility for safety.”
OC Transpo’s chief special constable Peter Scislowski said the agency is working with OPS on “new initiatives” to address hate-motivated incidents, though details remain under discussion.
For Barow, who is still recovering from her injuries, the silence feels heavier than the assault itself. “I just don’t want this to happen to someone else,” she said quietly.
