Author: Dr Lorena Rivas
Abstract
Developed nations like Australia can be a safe haven for people fleeing their home countries due to war, persecution, and other threats. People make often perilous journeys in search of asylum expecting protection from violence. However, there has been increasing concern among human rights activists and policymakers that these expectations are not matched by the realities of immigration detention. This study explores the gendered dynamics of detention by analysing women’s unique experiences of violence, including intimate partner violence, within Australian long-term immigration detention. The mixed-method study uses quantitative data derived from Commonwealth Ombudsman reports on 252 women and supplements these with data from interviews with six women and eight service providers. This study explores how the experience of detention (e.g., the type of detention facility and length of detention), as well as personal characteristics and situations (e.g., age, having a history of torture and trauma, being detained alone or with family), impact the safety of these women. The results show that violence against women is rife in Australian detention centres, where women are victims of multiple forms of violence perpetrated by partners, family, other detainees, and staff.
Author Bio
Lorena was recently awarded her PhD through the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. She also attained a double degree in Psychological Science and Criminology and Criminal Justice and was awarded First Class Honours in Criminology and Criminal Justice for her dissertation that investigated the impact of long-term immigration detention on women detainees’ mental health and human rights. Building on this, Lorena’s doctoral thesis took a wider scope and investigated the impact of long-term immigration detention on the physical, mental, and social well-being of women detainees. In addition to the area of immigration detention, Lorena also has research experience in the areas of historical prosecutions, international crimes, transitional justice, and atrocity crimes, particularly in Latin America.