I am a Muslim mom who loves and cares deeply about our Muslim American community. I, like many of us, am shocked, hurt, and angry to continue to hear about incidents of sexual violence inflicted on our children by teachers in our Islamic Institutions. Too often we have responded to these cases of abuse with confusion, excuses, and silence. Many of us are tired of the few semblance of pushback that ultimately lack momentum and eventually fizzle out. I pray that this is the beginning of real change. Our children deserve better. They deserve to be protected in our religious spaces. I am calling on our institutions, our masajid, our community centers, and our schools to take steps to better protect Muslim kids from sexual violence.   

The Call to Action

We, the undersigned, call upon all U.S. Islamic institutions, masajid, schools, and community centers to take proactive steps to protect our children from sexual violence. Specifically, we demand the implementation of the following measures:

1. Require Background Checks and Live Scan Registration for All Teachers: All educators, staff, and volunteers working with children must undergo thorough background checks and be registered with Live Scan systems to prevent individuals with harmful histories from gaining access to our children.
2. Provide Training on Recognizing, Disrupting, and Reporting Sexual Misconduct: Comprehensive training programs must be established to equip all teachers and staff with the tools to identify, intervene in, and report any form of sexual misconduct. 
3. Implement a Committee for Handling Grievances: Establishing a transparent and accountable committee to address grievances related to sexual misconduct is essential. This committee must include professionals trained in trauma-informed care and Islamic ethics. 
4. Provide Parents with Resources for Discussing Safety Issues with Children: Parents must be empowered with the knowledge and resources needed to have critical conversations with their children about personal safety, boundaries, and how to report inappropriate behavior. 
5. Decline to Invite or Financially Support Offending Teachers  Islamic institutions must unequivocally refuse to host, invite, or financially support individuals credibly accused or found guilty of sexual misconduct. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of measures but is intended to exemplify an actionable plan that our institutions must take to protect our children from sexual violence. By implementing these measures, we take a critical step toward restoring faith in our beloved Islamic institutions and safeguarding the most vulnerable among us. 

Whether you are a parent or not, Whether you are Muslim or not, Whether you work for an Islamic institution or not, our children need you to protect them from sexual violence. Sign this petition to urge Islamic institutions to adopt these essential reforms. Together, we can create a safer environment for our children and honor the values of justice, accountability, and compassion that lie at the heart of Islam.