Hawzah News Agency-Defending against someone trying to rip off their hijabs is just one of the practical tips Muslim women will learn at an upcoming safety workshop.

Organized by the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council (AMPAC) for the first time, the workshop aims to give Muslim women the tools to deal with violence, defend themselves and get home safely, said organizer Nakita Valerio.

“The amount of Islamophobic violence we’ve been seeing in the last year compared to other years has been quite significant … it hasn’t gone away. And violence against women is always prevalent, so it’s timely and necessary information women need,” said Valerio, VP of external affairs at AMPAC.

A black belt instructor with Strong Orange Violence Protection will lead the workshop — to be held at the Westmount Fitness Centre on Aug. 25 — dressed in a hijab and long skirt to reflect real-life situations.

“One of the best pieces of advice [the instructor gives] is whatever you have to do to get home safe is the right thing — whether that’s staying silent, saying something or calling an authority,” Valerio said.

Valerio said there has been “big-time demand” for such a class since she personally organized one — prior to joining AMPAC — at a mosque last December.

Going forward, she said she hopes AMPAC can organize workshops every six months.

In the last few months, the organization, which launched an Islamophobia hotline in March, has seen an increasing number of calls — about one a day on average, said president Faisal Khan Suri.

“We’re actually looking to get more people to man the calls,” he said.

Since March, Suri said the hotline has received more than 80 calls, with about 30 of them being deemed serious enough to forward to Edmonton Police and other authorities for further investigation.