Report Reveals Unsafe Conditions for Women in Australian Immigration Detention

The Human Rights Commission finds women detainees, including abuse survivors, are housed near male sex offenders and face systemic neglect.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released a report detailing serious safety and human rights concerns for women in immigration detention centers across Australia.
At Sydney's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, women are housed next to male sex offenders, separated only by a fence lacking privacy screens, leading to harassment and trauma.
Many detained women, who make up only 6% of the detainee population, are survivors of sexual and domestic violence and report inadequate medical, mental health, and support services.
The report highlights systemic neglect of women's needs, including limited privacy, lack of access to education or vocational training, and separation from families, often for years.
The AHRC issued 31 recommendations for reform, including safer housing, gender-specific staff training, and improved healthcare access, but the government has only partially agreed to some measures.