Women in immigration detention at serious risk of harassment and violence

The Australian Human Rights Commission has called for significant reform to the country’s immigration detention system, after a new report into the treatment of women in detention found their rights, safety and wellbeing are being widely overlooked. These failures, it found, are compounding the risk to women of harassment, violence, and ill health. 

The report, titled Not Just An Afterthought, followed a series of inspections in April and May of Australia’s immigration detention centres which hold women. The inspections, led by Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, were conducted at the Broadmeadows Residential Precinct and parts of the adjoining Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre, Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney, and Perth Immigration Detention Centre. 

The report found that in a system dominated by men, there is a concerning lack of adequate or equitable support for women. This includes in accommodation and recreation needs, access to services, programs, and medical and mental health support.  

In some cases, inspectors found inadequate separation between men and women in detention, potentially exposing women to further harassment and trauma. This includes at Villawood, which holds the largest number of women in immigration detention, where women are housed next to a compound that includes men who are sex offenders. The report also found there was little to no gender training for staff, while limited female staff numbers also impacted wellbeing.  

“The fact there are fewer women in detention should not mean their human rights are diminished. In too many cases, addressing a woman’s needs appears to have been merely an afterthought from those in charge,” Commissioner Finlay said. 

“From what women told us and what we saw, these oversights affect every facet of a woman’s life in detention and have potentially significant impacts on their health and safety. Separation of families is also exacerbating harm. With most women detained a far distance from their family, often interstate, it is difficult for their children and loved ones to visit. This is can greatly affect a person’s mental health and hinder their prospects for community reintegration upon release. It is unacceptable that some women have not been able to hug a family member in years.” 

The report made 31 recommendations to the Department of Home Affairs to help improve conditions in detention centres, including better conditions in detention such as safer housing, gender-specific training for staff, enhanced access to health care, education, and meaningful activities, and for closed detention to only be used as a last resort. 

The Department’s official response either accepted or partially agreed with 11 of the recommendations, disagreed with four, noted 15, with one requiring Government consideration.  

“It is essential that all 31 recommendations are implemented. Women in immigration detention face particular vulnerabilities, due to challenging personal circumstances prior to being detained - including a high proportion who have faced family and domestic violence. Their treatment in detention must be grounded in an understanding of their unique needs.  

“Australia is not complying with its international human rights obligations to people in detention, including women. This must change. I look forward to working with the Government and relevant agencies to ensure women in detention are safe and their wellbeing prioritised.” 

As of June 2024, there were 50 women in immigration detention – less than 6% of the total cohort of people in detention. These women either overstayed their visa length, were an illegal air arrival, or had their visas cancelled after a criminal conviction. 

Read the report: Not Just An Afterthought: The Experience of Women in Immigration Detention

ENDS | Media contact: media@humanrights.gov.au or 0457 281 897 (only calls, no texts please)