Mental Health Issues For Asylum Seekers - 2070 Words

The issue of asylum seekers recently was reignited, with the dramatic increase in the number of illegal boats arriving in Australia. From the 30th of September 2013, there were a reported 6,403 people in closed detention, this number including 1,078 children. It is not surprising from these high detention rates and poor living standards that between January 2011 and February 2013 that there were 4,313 reported incidents of actual, threatened or attempted serious self-harm in these immigration detention facilities. From 12 deaths that occurred between the 1st of July 2010 and the 20th of June 2013 6 of these have been found by coroners to be suicides (Triggs, 2013). These statistics are incredibly alarming, especially when not much action is being taken to prevent not only mental illness but also the consequences of prolonged mental illness - suicide. The purpose of this report is to analyse and scrutinize the reason why mental health issues for asylum seekers are becoming an issue in Australia, and find out what exactly is being done to combat this ever-growing issue in Australia. An asylum seeker is a person who has fled their own country and applied for protection as a refugee. As an asylum seeker their experience is extremely different to that of a Migrant. A Migrant chooses to leave their home country, and can choose where to go and when they might return to their home country, whereas, an asylum seeker or refugee are forced to flee their country for their own safety,Show MoreRelatedShould The Mandatory Detention Policy Be Allowed?1260 Words   |  6 Pagesresponse to the number of boat arrivals seeking asylum in Australia from the aftermath of the Vietnam War. In 1976 to 1981, the first wave of 2000 asylum seekers landed in Australia, where they were sympathetically allowed entrance, followed by a quick grant of a refugee visa status as they were assumed to be ‘genuine refugees’. However, continuous boats arrived been 1989 and 1994 which caused concern within the Australian public as there were issues of increased unemployment (Phillips, 200 0). AlthoughRead MoreThe Asylum Seeker Policies in Australia Are Inhumane. Do You Agree?1380 Words   |  6 Pagesabout asylum seekers resorting to violence due to discontentment with the Australian government regarding the assessment of their refugee status. These are evident cries for help which sparks off debates on the government’s abilities to find a successful solution to the asylum issues. Australia has been criticized due to the requirements of compulsory immigration detention for ‘all unlawful non-citizens, (including asylum seekers)’ (Phillips Spinks 2013, p.1). The other controversial issue of AustraliaRead MoreCurrent Policy Situation Of Australia917 Words   |  4 PagesCurrent policy situation At present, asylum seekers who arrived in Australia by boat on or after 13 August 2012 and are granted bridging visas are not allowed to work (Correa-Velez, Gifford and Bice, 2014, p. 9). Asylum seekers who are living in the community on bridging visas have no right to a family reunion and are not able to re-enter Australia if they choose to travel internationally. Australia has obligations to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)Read MoreRole Of The Australian Government For Unauthorised Arrivals From A Refugees And Those Who Are Not1613 Words   |  7 Pageswho are not. According to Australian Human rights commission (2014), recently, asylum seekers who arrive without visas and by boat are detained and usually transferred to Christmas Island. On the other hand, asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by plane with appropriate documentation are granted bridging visas and released into the community pending www.humanrights.gov.au (2012). The reason of being important is issue begin from many years ago and still going, so the government has to do somethingRead MoreAsylum Seekers And The Asylum Seeker1714 Words   |  7 Pages2014. †¨Few social justice issues in Australia have attracted as much attention and controversy in recent times as the issue of asylum seekers. An asylum-seeker ‘is an individual who has sought international protection and whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined’. In contrast, a refugee is an individual whose protection has been deemed necessary by the UNHCR or a State who is a signatory to the Refugee Convention. †¨The issues surrounding asylum seeker has divide opinions and evokeRead MoreA Brief Note On Social Issues Of Refugees1669 Words   |  7 PagesKatie A. O’Conner SOC 2020 SEC 010 Instructor – Amanda Levitt Final Paper Social Issues of Refugees Since the United States declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, there has been numerous amount of legislation passed to increase the difficulty of gaining citizenship for immigrants. These laws passed were deeply rooted in discriminatory practices for the preservation of an idealized American culture. In today’s society the United States has continue these practices, but claims indiscriminationRead MoreMy Personal Statement On My Decision Making Skills1536 Words   |  7 Pagestheory, policy and practice, as well as reflection on self as worker, including the effect of the placement experience on the student and challenges to preconceived ideas. On both a professional and personal level, my current placement at the Asylum Seekers Centre has made me more aware and conscious of how past personal experiences can impact on practice. I have encountered a number of power imbalances between myself and clients and between other social workers and clients, with this power imbalanceRead MoreAustria ´s Future Policies on Mandatory Detention579 Words   |  2 PagesIn Australia, research involving the participation of humans must be conducted in accordance with agreed ethical considerations as set out in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans (NHMRC 1999). Research on asylum seekers and refugees has not always been morally neutral. Policies current for Australia’s immigration are passionately debated in today’s society. Defining ethical responsibilities for our research is complex when working with exposed populations and differentRead MoreReport on Refugee Rights in Australia1317 Words à ‚  |  6 Pagesfocused on key issues such as the differential treatment of asylum seekers based on how they arrived in Australia or apply for protection, the Pacific and Malaysian solution, the detention of asylum seekers and combating the view that boat arrivals are not ‘genuine refugees’. Although there are many other concerns, the issues listed above are the major ones. In the first instance, refugee right groups are trying to minimize the difference in the way onshore and offshore asylum seekers are processedRead MoreAustralia s Ideological Identity As A Nation1700 Words   |  7 PagesJewish refugees, Britain 70 000, South Africa 6000 and America 157 000 compared to Australia s 10 000 (14). During the Cold War, Australia again accepted a number of refugees, however the motive for this was again largely political. Those seeking asylum from the Communist bloc were welcomed by the West mainly because the situation was seen as proving West superiority, or as Monash University professor Andy Lamey puts it, scoring â€Å"a PR victory...against communism,† (12 and 16). Unlike West Germany