Violence against women held in immigration detention rife, new research shows

Key PointsNew research found the longer women are held in immigration detention, the more likely they’ll experience violence.The length of time both male and female detainees are held has increased more than eightfold over the past decade.About 36 per cent of women detained with a partner have experienced intimate partner violence.

The longer refugee and asylum-seeking women are held in Australian immigration detention, the more likely they are to be victims of violence, adding to their trauma, research shows.

A new study looks at data from publicly available Commonwealth Ombudsman reports on 252 women from 2013 to 2017, finding detention centres are unsafe spaces for women.

The research is to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Punishment & Society later in 2024.

Griffith University criminologist Lorena Rivas, who authored the study, said the key factor influencing women’s experience of violent victimisation is their long-term detention.

The more time they spent in custody, the more likely they were to have been victims of abuse, assault and other forms of violence.

The length of time both male and female detainees are held within such centres has increased more than eightfold over the past decade from an average of almost three months (81 days) in 2013 to more than two years (708 days) in 2023.

The women in the study spent on average nearly three years in immigration detention.

It was found that being detained for longer than two-and-a-half years nearly tripled the prevalence of abuse and assault reported by women compared with those detained for a shorter period.

“The longer women are held in detention, regardless of who they are detained with, the type of detention or any other factors or conditions, the worse the outcome for their wellbeing,” Rivas told AAP.

“It goes without saying that immigration detention, if used for administrative purposes, as the Australian government contends it is, should be for the shortest period of time possible.

“Otherwise the use of immigration detention should be abolished.”

Twenty-four women reported abuse and assault by family, 15 reported abuse by other detainees and 12 women were abused by detention staff.

About 36 per cent of women detained with a partner have experienced intimate partner violence.

Rivas said women who experience intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse and assault in detention face multiple barriers to reporting the crimes to police or other authorities, including detention staff.

She said because of their precarious status as non-citizens, women do not disclose domestic violence situations out of fear their husbands would be punished and it would lead to separation and impact their release from detention.

They also fear retaliation and further violence, especially if they must remain in detention where a perpetrator has access to them.

“Many women do not understand that abuse and assault are illegal, and that they do not need to remain in unsafe situations,” Rivas said.

“These women need to know who to inform and where to go for support, without fear of repercussions.”

She said the Australian government has a duty of care and responsibility to make immigration detention centres that are managed by private contractors safe for women.

If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence or sexual assault call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 

. In an emergency, call 000.

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