One of the mental health services in Ontario is seeking funding to continue a series of Muslim women's support groups launched in response to anti-Islam attacks, including the killing of members of the Afzal family in London in 2021.

Abrar Trauma and Mental Health Services operated the Brave Space program three years ago, but it ended late last year.

Abrar Mashmashiya, who leads the organization, said about the program: "The need for such a program is great, and we are in the process of applying for more grants to sustain it."

It was launched in Hamilton and London, then expanded to include more sessions in February 2023, along with workshops in Mississauga and Kitchener.

Abrar Trauma and Mental Health Services, directed towards newcomers and immigrants, received pilot funding in 2021 after a hate-motivated attack on the downtown Hamilton mosque and the Afzal family attack, which was ruled terrorism by the judge.

Funding for 2023 was provided by the Canadian Islamic Relief Organization and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion.

Mashmashiya said the total number of people who attended the support groups was 35, and there were between 80 to 100 participants in the workshops.

Project leader Ameera Youssef explained: "The community really rallied for something like this," adding that new funding sources will allow Brave Space to grow.

The support groups were available online and in person, and there were also group discussions, educational and artistic sessions, and other programs. For example, in Hamilton, participants received personal self-defense training.

Mashmashiya added that there is still an urgent need for programs like Brave Space amid reports of hate incidents and community trauma resulting from the war in Gaza.

Youssef believes that Islamophobia is underreported outside the Muslim community, where non-violent incidents may not be reported to the police, but it is important to raise awareness about all hate incidents so that people outside the Muslim community can be aware and promote a world where we can come together and protect each other."