1. DRAFT REPORT FOR COMMENT
Linda Bartolomei and Rebecca Eckert
Centre for Refugee Research, University of New South Wales
In partnership with
Townsville Multicultural Support Group

2. Acknowledgements
We extend our thanks to the refugee women who generously shared their knowledge, their wisdom
and their hopes for a better future for women at risk in Australia and overseas. We also thank the
service providers who contributed their time, experience and valuable insights to this project.
We offer our thanks to Research Assistant Rochelle Baughan who documented and co-facilitated
many of the consultations and interviews and to the interns from the Centre for Refugee Research,
Jessica Roberts and Pia Antico for their assistance. We thank the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,
University of New South Wales for providing the funding that made this project possible.
For overall support of the project we thank Meg Davis and the team from Townsville Multicultural
Support Group for their partnership, their support for the research and their ongoing passion and
commitment to supporting the settlement of refugee women at risk.
We also extend our thanks to Centre Associate Marcela Garrett for her assistance with editing and
for providing input into the report.
Published by The Centre for Refugee Research 2015

3. Introduction and Background ...........................................................................................6
Women’s pre-arrival experiences of torture and trauma ...............................................................8
What is unique about women at risk?.............................................................................................9
Building on existing settlement and integration frameworks.......................................................10
Identifying criteria for successful settlement as defined by participants .....................................11
Research Methodology................................................................................................... 13
Description.....................................................................................................................................13
The research participants..............................................................................................................14
Ethics..............................................................................................................................................14
Contextual Issues...........................................................................................................................14
Findings.......................................................................................................................... 16
A. Introducing the criteria for successful settlement....................................................................16
Criterion 1. Housing - The achievement of stable, appropriate and affordable housing located
near to transport and services.......................................................................................................20
Criterion 2. Health - Good physical and mental health outcomes for women and their families,
which have addressed issues of torture and trauma including rape and sexual abuse................25
Criterion 3. English - A level of English language sufficient to function effectively in the
community and in the employment market .................................................................................29
Criterion 4. Education - Successful educational outcomes for themselves and their children to
enhance social integration and employment pathways ...............................................................33
Criterion 5. Employment - Satisfactory employment which lifts women out of poverty and allows
them to achieve a decent standard of living .................................................................................36
Criterion 6. Family – The achievement of stable family life in Australia including access to family
reunion with partners, children, parents, siblings, both blood relatives and adopted family
members........................................................................................................................................40
Criterion 7. Safety - Feeling safe and secure in all aspects of their lives......................................45
Criterion 8. Respect - Feeling they are respected, as people of worth and treated with dignity in
all aspects of their lives .................................................................................................................50
Criterion 9. Recognition - Having their capabilities recognised by service providers and potential
employers ......................................................................................................................................52
Criterion 10. Acceptance and a space and function in their own communities............................55
Criterion 11. Acceptance and a space and function in the wider community ..............................57

4. B. The way in which the specialist needs of women at risk are addressed through TMSG’s current
service provision................................................................................................................................59
C. Ways refugee women can contribute to settlement service provision........................................69
D. Integrated Intensive Service Provision Responses .......................................................................71
Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 73
The criteria for successful settlement...............................................................................................73
Recommendations ............................................................................................................................74
General Recommendations............................................................................................. 76
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................. 79
REFERENCES................................................................................................................... 80

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List of abbreviations
Abbreviation Description
AMEP Adult Migrant English Program
AMES Adult Multicultural Education Service
ASRG Australian Survey Research Group
CRR Centre for Refugee Research
DIBP Department of Immigration and Border Protection
DSS Department of Social Services
FACS Family and Community Services
GP General practitioner
HSS Humanitarian Settlement Services
NGO Non-government organization
QPASTT Queensland Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma
SSI Settlement Services International
TMSG Townsville Multicultural Support Group
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNSW University of New South Wales

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They have skills, they have talents, they are strong, they are survivors. (Service Provider)
Since 2004, Townsville Multicultural Support Group (TMSG) and the Centre for Refugee Research
(CRR) have collaborated on a series of projects exploring issues of concern for women at risk and
other resettled refugees. This includes partnering in two research projects funded by the Australian
Research Council (ARC). The first project: ‘Refugee Women at Risk: Protection and Integration in
Australia’ which concluded in 2011, led to the development of a risk identification tool for women at
risk in settlement. It also identified the way in which misunderstandings and confusions about rights
in settlement, in particular women’s and children’s rights, can compound the settlement challenges
that women at risk face. These findings informed a second application and project: ‘The Meaning of
Rights in Refugee Settlement’ which is currently in progress in partnership with TMSG, QPASTT
(Brisbane), STARTTS (Sydney, Wollongong), AMES (Melbourne) and Diversitat (Geelong).
TMSG and CRR have also worked together on a number of other projects focused on issues for
refugees in regional areas including the 2011 Refugee Women’s Dialogues in Australia. Significant
outcomes from this partnership have included the development of a series of resources on regional
refugee settlement. As part of this ongoing work, CRR and TMSG commenced the first stage of a
project to examine the meaning of successful settlement for women at risk in 2013. This project
builds on an extensive body of research undertaken by CRR with women at risk across a number of
sites in Australia, including with TMSG, Sydney based Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS)
provider Settlement Services International (SSI) and HSS provider AMES in Victoria.
The research was initially funded by a small project grant from the Faculty of Arts and Social
Sciences, UNSW, which set out to develop indicators of successful settlement for women at risk. It
was also made possible with significant in kind support from the CRR, TMSG and SSI. At the time the
project commenced, the then Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) had expressed
interest in understanding further the particular challenges and strengths of regional settlement for
women at risk. They were eager to identify what was needed to ensure women were able to settle
safely and successfully. This was prompted in part by a shift in policy which had recommended the
resettlement of women at risk who did not have family ties in metropolitan areas to a number of key
regional sites, including Townsville. While the Department did not proceed with research in this
area they did indicate their interest in the outcomes of the research.

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This report presents the preliminary findings from the initial work undertaken in Townsville in
September-October 2013. CRR and TMSG conducted a series of consultations and in-depth
interviews with refugee women at risk, case managers, volunteers, torture and trauma counselling
staff and other organisations engaged in supporting the settlement of women at risk. These explored
the women’s experiences of settlement in Australia, their needs, their fears and their hopes for the
future as well as what they felt they needed to achieve in order to feel successfully settled.
Recommendations for enhancements to settlement service provision for women at risk were also
identified. The outcomes from this research were designed to assist TMSG in further enhancing their
service responses to support the settlement of women at risk.
In addition to the consultations and interviews conducted with TMSG, concurrent research was
undertaken with SSI in Sydney. This report details the findings from the TMSG consultations and
interviews, however, the conceptual framework of the report and the proposed integrated model of
specialist support is also informed by the findings of previous research undertaken with Melbourne
based Settlement Service providers AMES in Melbourne and SSI in Sydney.
Aims of the Study
The study had four aims:
1. To identify a set of clear criteria which refugee women at risk identified that they needed to
achieve in order to be successfully settled in Australia.
2. To explore the extent to which current service provision was supporting women to achieve
successful settlement.
3. To identify the strengths that women at risk bring to the settlement process.
4. To explore enhancements to and alternative models of service provision for women at risk,
to assist women at risk to achieve the identified criteria.
Background
The Centre for Refugee Research has worked extensively with refugee women at risk for the past
fifteen years. Members of the research team have been actively involved in work with women at risk
since the program first began (Pittaway 1991). Their work has identified that whilst many women
settle well, some women continue to remain at risk once resettled, and many face significant
challenges with settlement (Bartolomei, Eckert and Pittaway 2014; DSS 2013).

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Previous research undertaken by CRR, including projects with TMSG, had identified many women
were unable to settle successfully due to the failure of current models of integration in adequately
addressing and acknowledging their specific circumstances (Bartolomei, Eckert & Pittaway 2014).
While this work had produced a number of recommendations to improve service provision, it had
not identified a clear framework to support the development of targeted response models, nor had
it identified clear criteria by which to assess settlement experiences from the perspective of refugee
women at risk. The findings from the study, detailed in this report, and in the corresponding report
from SSI in Sydney, aim to partially fill that gap.
TMSG provides crucial support to many resettling women at risk. In recent years, TMSG has seen a
significant increase in the settlement of women at risk, both those on 204 visas, and women who
have been resettled on other visas but who have shared similar pre arrival experiences. They have
taken an active role in developing effective responses to women at risk and as noted above, have
been nominated by the Department of Social Services (DSS) as one of the key regional sites for the
resettlement of unlinked women at risk. TMSG is committed to building a rights and strengths-based
service provision model that recognises and meets the needs of settling women at risk. Having
supported the settlement of women at risk since 2005 TMSG have already developed a series of
specific protocols for working with women at risk and are eager to further strengthen these
initiatives through the outcomes from this current project.
WOMEN’S PRE-ARRIVAL EXPERIENCES OF TORTURE AND TRAUMA
Many refugee women and girls experience severe and systematised human rights abuses at all
stages of their journey to find safety. Some are brutally raped and suffer endemic sexual and gender-
based violence. Others are forced to engage in survival sex to feed themselves and their families.
They often bear one or more children of rape. Single women and widows are often targeted for rape
and forced marriage. Many suffer rejection and isolation. Women often live in a constant state of
insecurity and fear. A number are without the effective protection of family and community.
Refugee women and girls rarely experience one risk or form of abuse in isolation, multiple abuses
and protection failures compound to heighten the risk of ongoing violations of their rights (UNHCR
2006; 2008; 2013).
The UNHCR Women at Risk Resettlement program is designed to fast-track the resettlement of
women and girls who are most at risk to a country of refuge (UNHCR, 2014). Established in 1988, it
was developed in response to the urgent protection needs of refugee women and girls who were

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experiencing extreme violence, including rape and sexual violence, and who were without
protection. Australia is one of a small number of countries which maintains a dedicated quota for
refugee women at risk as part of its resettlement program.
Although many women are resettled to Australia each year through the women at risk program, it is
also now well documented that a number of women who would meet the criteria for women at risk
are resettled through other visa programs. This includes those women and girls who may be
sponsored by family or community, those who are resettled with male family members and those
who seek asylum onshore. They are also women at risk, and require specific responses to ensure
their ongoing safety and protection once resettled.
Recognising this, for the purposes of this report women at risk are defined as those women and girls
who have shared a pre arrival experience of systematised human rights abuses including rape and
other forms of gender related violence, and who may have experienced or be at risk of experiencing
further abuses of their rights in the settlement context because they do not have effective or
appropriate family or community support.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT WOMEN AT RISK?
While it is acknowledged that human rights abuses and the associated trauma of loss and upheaval
are common to all refugees, a number of factors make the experience of refugee women at risk
unique. First is the severity of the human rights abuses they have faced, second are the multiplicity
of abuses experienced often in both their home countries and during displacement, and third is the
fact that most of the abuses faced involve rape and other forms of sexual violence. Fourth are the
ensuing social impacts which can include stigma and social exclusion of women who have been
raped or widowed (Bartolomei et al 2014; Pittaway and Bartolomei 2011; Lennette 2014).
Clearly many refugee men resettled to Australia have faced similarly severe experiences of abuse;
some have also been raped or sexually abused and require specialist services. Like women, feelings
of shame and community stigma can also prevent men from disclosing their experiences of rape, and
can have severe impacts on their identities and sense of self. For both women and men the social
and psychological consequences can be severe (UNHCR 2012). However, the social consequences for
women and girls are compounded by a number of additional social and psychological risks. They
face the further risk of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a child of rape, they face the risk of
being killed in the name of family and community honour and they face the risk of being targeted for
further incidences of sexual abuse as a result of a perception that they are ‘damaged goods’ and

10. 10
unworthy of marriage. It is the social consequences of these experiences which puts women at risk
in this unique category and in need of specialist and targeted assistance, specific to their needs. It
does not, however, mean that they are inherently vulnerable or lacking in strengths, skills and
capacities, but it does mean that they have a history of severe human rights abuses which negatively
impact their identities and sense of self, often further compounded by stigma and social exclusion
(Allimant & Ostapiej-Piatkowski 2011, p.8-9; Mehraby 2010, p.65; Yohani & Hagen 2010, p.214). If
refugee women at risk are to settle well then it is imperative that these specialist needs be fully
acknowledged in the design and delivery of settlement services.
While this study has focused on the particular needs of women at risk it is argued that the study’s
main recommendation for the development of a specialist integrated model of service provision
could be extrapolated to other refugees with specific needs.
BUILDING ON EXISTING SETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION FRAMEWORKS
Over the past ten years, significant work has been done to develop a framework of integration to
inform policy in countries who resettle or accept refugees (Ager & Strang 2004, 2010; ASRG 2011).
The most influential work in this field, developed by Alastair Ager and Alison Strang (2004) for the
British Home Office, identifies ten domains and associated indicators, which, they argue, are
essential for the successful integration of refugees. The ten domains are grouped into four key
areas:
A. Markers and means:
1. Employment
2. Housing
3. Education and
4. Health
B. Social connections:
5. Social bridges
6. Social bonds
7. Social links
C. Facilitators:
8. Language and cultural knowledge
9. Safety and stability

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D. Foundational aspects:
10. Rights and citizenship
While the framework of Ager and Strang made a ground-breaking contribution to understandings of
integration and settlement, it is not without limitations. Critiques, including their own, have noted a
number of areas in need of additional exploration and understanding (Smyth et al. 2010, Phillimore
2011, McPherson 2010, Strang & Ager 2010). This includes a stronger focus on the multidimensional
nature of integration, a greater emphasis on a two-way approach to integration from the
perspective of refugee communities, and an expansion of existing understandings of the way in
which domains interrelate (Strang & Ager 2010). Most significantly, the framework does not address
the impact of pre-arrival experiences of torture and trauma on settlement, nor the gendered nature
of the refugee experience in the context of settlement.
IDENTIFYING CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL SETTLEMENT AS DEFINED BY PARTICIPANTS
While this project initially set out to identify a series of indicators of successful settlement, in
analysing the qualitative findings it was identified that the term ‘criteria’ more accurately described
the phenomena under investigation. The concept of a number of ‘criterion’ for successful settlement
better described what the refugee women identified they needed to achieve in order to feel that
they had settled successfully. A ‘criterion’ sets out a minimum standard which denotes the
achievement of an aspect of settlement against which a series of measurement indicators might
then be developed. In this regard, the identified ‘criteria’ more closely approximate the notion of
domains of integration, so clearly identified by Ager and Strang. This study has focused on exploring
the key criteria from the particular perspective of refugee women at risk and lays the groundwork
for a second phase, which would involve further work with refugee women to develop a more
comprehensive set of gender sensitive criteria and indicators for the settlement context. In doing so
it has built upon the work of Ager and Strang to further explore the inter-linkages between the
domains, and to identify additional domains specific to the settlement needs of refugee women at
risk.
This study has identified that while all the criteria identified were essential to the successful
settlement of women at risk, a number were particularly prominent. These included the primacy of
women’s concerns with safety and security, their need for stable and secure housing, respect and
recognition as people of worth, and for family reunion and a stable family life. The contribution

12. 12
these findings make to current theoretical frameworks to measure integration and successful
settlement is explored further in the discussion.

13. 13
DESCRIPTION
The research was undertaken in September and October 2013. CRR conducted a one day
consultation with thirteen refugee women at risk who had been resettled in Australia for one year or
more. A half day workshop with eight settlement service and mainstream providers was also held.
Four in-depth semi-structured interviews were then undertaken with services providers identified by
TMSG management and twenty- one in-depth semi-structured interviews with self-selecting refugee
women participants from the consultations and others invited to attend by services.
This project used a participatory action research method specifically developed by CRR for working
with refugee women called ‘Reciprocal Research’ (Pittaway & Bartolomei 2013; Hugman, Bartolomei
& Pittaway 2011). It involves the use of human rights training and community consultation
techniques to support communities to explore problems they face and to propose workable
solutions. The consultations included the sharing of stories and the production of storyboards to
conduct situational analysis and to suggest strategies for action, response and interventions.
Participants worked in small groups to represent their reflections pictorially and analyse a series of
questions about their experience of settlement and service provision.
During the consultations and interviews, women were invited to share their experiences of
settlement in Australia. These included their hopes and dreams for their new lives and what
‘successful settlement’ meant to them. They discussed what helped them to feel safe and happy in
Australia, which services and supports had best assisted their settlement, what additional support
they would have liked, what were the most challenging things they faced when they first arrived in
Australia and what impact these issues had. Women then used storyboarding to identify and design
alternative services and supports to help other women at risk settle successfully. As part of the
consultation, the women also used three templates of Australia to share: their initial fears about life
in Australia; their most important settlement needs and; their hopes for the future. Following the
consultations, a series of semi-structured interviews were held with a number of women. The
interviews were used to explore in further detail the issues raised during the consultations, and also
to provide an opportunity for women who had been unable to attend to share their ideas and
experiences.

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Semi structured interviews and a half day workshop with settlement service providers discussed
similar themes to those explored by the refugee women participants. Service provider participants
shared their thoughts on current settlement responses to women at risk, key issues for resettling
women and their families, identified key criteria for the successful settlement for women at risk; and
discussed what was needed to support women to achieve this success.
THE RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
The perspectives of both resettled refugee women and settlement service providers are shared in
this report. Where possible, the findings are presented in the voice of participants. Quotes have
been attributed only to refugee women, or to workers, in order to preserve anonymity.
All of the women who participated in the project had been settled in Australia for one year or more,
and had entered Australia on the Women at Risk visa and through other visa programs. Participants
were all over the age of 18 and were from a number of different ethnic backgrounds. Service
providers who participated in the consultations and interviews were identified by TMSG, and
included HSS case managers, torture and trauma counsellors, teachers, education support staff, and
volunteer coordinators.
ETHICS
A key strength of the methodology used by the researchers is an ethical and reciprocal contract that
is agreed between researchers and research participants. A strict confidentiality agreement was
negotiated with the participants at the beginning of the consultations, and the facilitators signed a
commitment that the women would receive copies of the reports from the process, and that their
photos and stories would not be used without their permission. Individual consent forms were also
used for interviews with the women and with services. Arrangements were made with local service
providers to provide assistance to any participants who were distressed or in need of longer term
support. The research team also returned to Townsville in 2014 to share the preliminary findings and
recommendations with the women and services before the release of this final report.
CONTEXTUAL ISSUES
TMSG has been the lead on-arrival settlement service provider for refugees in Townsville since the
mid 1990’s, providing both HSS and Settlement Grant Program (SGP) support. Since 2000, SGP
support has been shared with another locally based organisation Townsville Intercultural Centre
(previously known as Migrant Resource Centre). TMSG has developed a series of specialised

15. 15
responses to women at risk beginning with the introduction of training programs for case managers
working with women at risk, specific orientations for women at risk, the provision of additional case
management time and the identification of specific on arrival accommodation which best meets the
needs of women at risk.
The regional location of Townsville and the nature of service delivery provided by TMSG have led to
the establishment of a solid network of partnerships with local services and volunteer groups which
strongly complement the HSS service delivery. TMSG works closely with key referring organisations,
including QPASTT to support women in their settlement. The number of refugees resettled to
Townsville has increased in recent years, however as a regional provider, TMSG resettles
considerably fewer refugees each year than those in metropolitan areas. These smaller intakes, and
the close proximity of services has enabled the development of a largely integrated model of
support with services working together to support women in their settlement. Some of the issues
detailed within the report findings are therefore unique to this setting. However, given the complex
needs of women at risk, and the current limitations of the settlement service framework, many of
the concerns identified parallel those of both women and services in metropolitan areas as identified
in the work with SSI and in earlier research with AMES.
It is also important to note that the views and perspectives presented have been shared by diverse
refugee women from over ten different ethnic communities; some more recently arrived and others
having been settled for over twelve years. Their experiences and reflections therefore cover an
extended period of settlement in which there have been many significant changes in settlement
service provision.
Most significant in the context of this research has been the increased national focus within the
Department of Social Services (DSS) on the particular needs of refugee women at risk and the
expansion of complex case management support. This has coincided, as noted in the Introduction,
with a greater focus on dedicated regional settlement sites for ‘unlinked’ refugee women at risk. In
acknowledging these positive changes, this report also highlights the areas in which further
improvements might be made. It draws on women’s experiences to reflect on those factors and
aspects of service provision which most support the achievement of successful settlement. In
particular, it identifies those elements of both tangible and intangible settlement support that have
been most important in either enhancing or inhibiting their successful settlement. While substantial
progress is acknowledged, it is clear that many gaps remain; most significant is the lack of a national
integrated model of specialist case management support which clearly acknowledges the impact of

16. 16
women’s pre-arrival experiences and which includes access to long term stable and secure on-arrival
accommodation and appropriately targeted education and employment pathways.
The findings are presented in four sections which address the study aims detailed above. They are:
A. The criteria for successful settlement agreed by the women who participated in this project
and their assessment of how current service provision addresses these criteria. We detail
how they described the challenges faced by the women and service providers during
settlement and identify key gaps in service provision.
B. The way in which the specialist needs of women at risk are addressed through TMSG’s
current service provision.
C. The strengths which women bring to the process and how these strengths can be utilised to
enhance settlement and integration and how women can assist their peers in this process.
D. The importance of integrated service provision responses to women at risk.
A. INTRODUCING THE CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL SETTLEMENT
An overarching theme of the criteria identified by the women was the importance of
service providers recognising and effectively responding to pre-arrival experiences of
torture and trauma. An understanding of how these might impact on the ability of women
at risk to achieve each criterion was identified as central to developing effective
settlement services for women at risk. This is the important difference between the
experience of women at risk and that of other refugees.
The following conceptual framework of criterion for successful settlement for women at risk, was
developed drawing on the findings from both the Townsville and Sydney consultations with refugee
women at risk and services.
The criteria for successful settlement defined by the participants can be divided into two distinct
categories. The first relate to the more practical aspects of settlement, and include housing, health,
English language training, education, employment and adapting to family life in Australia. The
second set of criteria address some of the less tangible forms of support and assistance that
participants identified as essential for successful settlement. These included the need for safety and

17. 17
security, respect, dignity and recognition, to have their skills and capacities recognised, and to be
accepted as part of their own community and the broader Australian community. The women
identified that unless each of these criteria was addressed that they did not think successful
settlement for refugee women at risk could occur. Across the two categories, eleven key criteria
were identified and these are presented below.
While we have presented each criterion separately, it is clear that many of these are interlinked.
Failure to achieve in one area can negatively impact on women’s overall settlement experience and
can inhibit and compound difficulties in other areas. The importance of this is analysed in the
discussion section of the report.
Although throughout the course of the research, including the consultations with SSI, eleven criteria
for successful settlement were identified, not all were discussed in similar depth during
consultations with refugee women and services in Townsville. This is reflective both of the nature of
the service provision within regional sites as well as the priorities as identified by the women and the
workers at the time of the consultations and interviews. The recommendations included in this
report whilst informed by CRR’s ongoing work with women at risk nationally, are also specific to
Townsville, recognising the importance of context specific models of service provision.
The Criteria – Category One: The Practical Aspects of Settlement
The first category addresses practical issues. These included:
1. Housing - The achievement of stable, appropriate and affordable housing located near to
transport and services
2. Health - The achievement of good physical and mental health outcomes for themselves and
their families, in particular, addressing the health impacts of torture and trauma including
rape and sexual abuse
3. English - The achievement of a level of English language sufficient to function effectively in
the community and in the employment market
4. Education - The achievement of successful educational outcomes for themselves and their
children to enhance social integration and employment pathways
5. Employment - The achievement of satisfactory employment which lifts them out of poverty
and allows them to achieve a decent standard of living

18. 18
6. Family - The achievement of stable family life in Australia including access to family reunion
with partners, children, parents, siblings, both blood relatives and adopted family members.

19. 19
The Criteria - Category Two: The Intangible Aspects of Settlement
The refugee women in both sites also discussed less tangible criteria or markers of successful
settlement. These included:
7. Safety - Feeling safe and secure in all aspects of their life
8. Respect - Feeling they are respected as people of worth and treated with dignity in all
aspects of their lives
9. Recognition - Having their capabilities recognised by service providers, potential employers
and the Australian community
10. Acceptance and a space and function in their own community - Able to contribute and
participate in decision making
11. Acceptance and a space and function in the wider community –Able to contribute socially,
economically and politically

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Category One: The Practical Aspects of Settlement
CRITERION 1. HOUSING - THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STABLE, APPROPRIATE AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOCATED NEAR TO TRANSPORT AND SERVICES
To be happy must have good house; [to be] happy in Australia [and] have good life
[you must have] a good house. (Refugee woman)
Most women at risk have lost their houses and all of their possessions. They have suffered torture,
rape and sexual abuse and are fearful that this will happen again, to them or to their children. Safe,
secure, stable, appropriate and affordable housing was identified by all participants as one of the
fundamental building blocks for the successful settlement of refugee women at risk. Women
emphasised the need for it to be located in a safe area, close to transport, services and schools for
their children, for as new arrivals, many of them are fearful of travelling far from home. Most
importantly, they emphasised the need for housing to provide women who had survived torture and
trauma including sexual violence during their refugee journey with the strong sense of security and
stability necessary for them to rebuild their shattered lives.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
The problem is that houses are very expensive so when you are new, after finding rent you
are left with almost nothing. (Refugee woman)
Access to safe, secure and affordable long term housing was one of the most important criterion for
successful settlement identified by both the women and by their workers, however many women
experienced significant challenges achieving this. Finding suitable housing was about more than
simply acquiring accommodation, it was about securing a place to rebuild their lives without fear.
Case managers recognised this need, and where possible, women were placed in close proximity to
local transport and services, and attention was paid to locating specific types of accommodation to
suit the women’s needs. Although workers were strongly committed to supporting women through
this process, at times the lack of affordable and appropriate housing stock in Townsville meant that
some women remained in on-arrival accommodation longer than intended. Given high rental costs,
the disparity in conditions between the on-arrival and longer term accommodation was at times so
significant that women became distressed at having to move on. They shared their concerns about
the poorer quality and limited security of many rental houses when compared with on-arrival

21. 21
accommodation. The women were also concerned about having to disrupt their children should they
have to move between schools. Where no appropriate housing stock was available, women were at
times forced to live a long distance from services with limited access to public transport.
Accommodation is a big one: proximity and so forth. Accommodation that they feel secure in
and is accessible to everything. (Service provider)
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
The first thing to make us worry and scared, is to live in the rent house because this is like
surprise to live in house which you’re renting because we didn’t live in the rent house
[before]. We had our own house. (Refugee woman)
Although many women were able to access appropriate housing, for some theirs fears about safety,
and the instability of housing tenure impacted their wellbeing significantly. This affected their ability
to achieve many of the other criterion required for successful settlement as detailed further in the
Discussion section.
Fear and Safety
The women explained it was impossible to feel settled and safe whilst they struggled to find
appropriate housing. The housing women could afford, in addition to being located far from public
transport and services, was sometimes in areas where the women worried about their safety. They
expressed concerns about feeling isolated and being without support. Given their prior experiences
of violence, women were particularly concerned about living in properties which felt insecure,
including ground floor accommodation in apartments and housing where there was limited security
and locks which did not work properly. In instances where women were placed in isolated
accommodation far from services they felt particularly vulnerable as this often made it more
challenging for them to build social connections, and to access support from workers. For some of
the women who had no choice but to accept such accommodation, the sense of a lack of security
and worries about whether they would be welcome in their local areas caused them considerable
distress. Although many women found comfort and support from their neighbours, some also did
report experiencing racism and harassment.
I’ve heard stories where they are taunted and had racist remarks made to them, so they are
walking along with their children speaking in their mother tongue, and someone would say
something really nasty to them. (Service provider)

22. 22
Given these concerns, workers focused considerable efforts on finding accommodation in which the
women felt safe. Sometimes this meant that women rejected a number of houses before finally
settling on a choice they felt comfortable with. Workers often required additional time to find
women appropriate housing, highlighting the need for providers to consider allocating smaller case
loads to workers supporting women at risk. Such instances also emphasised the importance of
ensuring that all workers were familiar with the circumstances of the women at risk and were
trained to understand their heightened concerns about safety. However, workers reported it was
sometimes challenging to find mainstream housing providers and real estate agents who shared this
knowledge and understanding. This exacerbated challenges for case workers and reaffirmed the
need for ongoing advocacy on these issues and for training to be offered to local services working
with women at risk.
Living with insecure tenure
We are still having difficulties with our house, we have to move usually from one house to
another once a year. (Refugee woman)
A number of women also spoke of living in a constant state of fear they would be evicted from their
rental properties. Given their financial circumstances, women were often unable to cope with rental
rises, forcing them to move a number of times between properties. The increasingly high costs of
renting also left many of the women with little money to support themselves and their families.
Some participants explained that they had expected to be able to settle into a house permanently
upon arrival. All of the women saw having a home as a sign of security and stability. The lack of
continuity and constant impermanence of renting left many feeling a sense of ongoing displacement.
For some, this contributed to a deterioration in their wellbeing, further compounding the traumas
they had already experienced.
Long Waiting Lists for Social Housing
Workers were able to support some women to access social housing however this was also a
challenging process with no provisions made for the specific needs of women at risk. Many women
reported being on waiting lists of more than a decade despite living in poverty and with critical
health needs relating to their experiences of torture and trauma. Some of the social housing which

23. 23
was provided was unsuitable to the women’s needs, often located in unsafe and isolated areas with
minimal security and a lack of appropriate physical amenities. In one case a woman with significant
mobility difficulties was offered a house with stairs which she could not navigate. All participants
emphasised the need for greater consideration of women’s individual circumstances in decision-
making processes.
Government housing - 12 years wait! (Refugee woman)
Complex Health Needs
In terms of housing they don’t look at cases, like they don’t look at my mother [who has
health needs] and don’t take into consideration situations are different. (Refugee woman)
Some of the women who had complex health needs resulting from years of torture and trauma, and
disrupted access to health services, reported it was difficult to find suitable accommodation to meet
their needs. This included women experiencing severe psychosocial health impacts as noted above
which heavily influenced their ability to feel safe and secure in their housing. For other women with
physical mobility issues, despite the efforts of workers they were unable to get access to appropriate
social housing. Women forced to take unsuitable accommodation found that this only exacerbated
their pre-existing complex health concerns.
Gaps in service provision
Additional time needed in on arrival accommodation
Although provisions were made for women to spend additional time in on arrival accommodation as
needed, it was suggested that where possible women remain in supported accommodation for
extended time periods of up to one year. This would ensure minimal disruption to the women and
their families and provide their workers with additional time to support them to find suitable longer
term accommodation. It would also reduce the risks of multiple moves and increased trauma of
constant displacement for the women.

24. 24
Prioritisation of Women at Risk for Public Social Housing
Both the women and their workers also strongly advocated for increased provisions for women at
risk to access social housing. They requested mainstream social housing workers apply greater
flexibility to women at risk cases to ensure they were able to locate appropriate and safe
accommodation for the women. In particular, participants stressed the importance of ensuring
housing services were trained in working with women at risk and were familiar with their unique
needs. Given the limited supply of social housing and the policy shift which means that ‘life time
tenure’ is no longer assured in social housing it is also important that support services assist women
at risk to understand tenancy laws and build skills in navigating the private rental market.

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CRITERION 2. HEALTH - GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR WOMEN
AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH HAVE ADDRESSED ISSUES OF TORTURE AND
TRAUMA INCLUDING RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE
Hopefully, we will get better, the thing is mental health, I say I'm okay, but I have
many, many problems, that is why... I start crying. (Refugee woman)
Because of a history of often prolonged violence and sexual abuse, many women at risk arrive in
Australia with complex and sensitive physical and mental health needs. While the majority of
refugees who come to Australia have experienced violence, torture and trauma, the sexual nature of
the abuse experienced by women at risk means that their trauma is often compounded by feelings
of shame, community stigma and exclusion. For some this can lead to feelings of worthlessness, an
increased unwillingness to trust and a fear of disclosure. To address these issues refugee women
who have survived rape and sexual and gender-based violence require ongoing access to specialist
physical and mental health services, staffed by female doctors and counsellors.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
Psychosocial Health Support
The women reflected predominantly on the provision of torture and trauma support and spoke
positively about the assistance received through local services. TMSG and QPASTT have developed
an integrated model of support and detailed referral systems which worked well for many of the
women. In an effort to introduce the concept of counselling gently, arrangements had been made
for the local torture and trauma counsellor to visit the women whilst they were attending support
groups or during meetings with their case workers. Many women were referred to QPASTT shortly
after their arrival and were able to access counselling quickly. They were also encouraged and
supported to access torture and trauma counselling at any stage in their settlement. Although
formal individual torture and trauma support options were well established, the need for alternative
assistance options was identified. Under the current structure, there is limited access to group based
counselling and informal psychosocial support options such as social gatherings and networks. Some
of the women felt these would be most effective if they were led by other more established refugee
women.

26. 26
Physical Health Support
Workers also indicated many women were able to receive important physical health support
through the refugee nurse health program with whom TMSG had developed a partnership. The
majority of women reported receiving comprehensive assistance through local GP programs as well
and were pleased with the level of assistance provided. This included the ability to see female
doctors and nurses as required. It was however noted that access to specialist doctors was a
challenge at times given the regional location. Some women also reported it was not always possible
to get access to interpreting services when attending doctor’s visits and hospitals. It appeared to the
women and the workers that at times medical staff were reluctant and unsure of how to use the
available interpreting services.
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Ongoing health concerns
Service providers reported that during the initial stages of settlement many women did not fully
engage with mental health services. Most were focused on what they saw as more practical
settlement issues including obtaining housing, getting children into schools and attending English
classes. The majority were also resettled as sole female-headed households including many with
large numbers of children. A number were responsible for the wellbeing of family still at risk
overseas. As a result, many women prioritised the needs of their families before their own, leaving
complex mental and physical health issues unaddressed during their first year of settlement. Despite
being in need of support women often did not engage with torture and trauma services till much
later in their settlement. This usually occurred when they felt that all other areas of their settlement
were in place. Although this was a key challenge in terms of services being able to identify women
who were in need of trauma related support once they had exited from the HSS program, QPASTT
indicated they would see women at any stage of their settlement and were always open to providing
support as and when it was needed. Despite this, it was evident that not all women in need of
support are able to be identified unless they come to the direct attention of services, often for other
settlement difficulties. This could potentially lead to some women having ongoing unresolved
mental health issues which affect their ability to settle well in the longer term.
At the beginning women are settling in, once they start to manage that, other
problems come up. You find out when things aren’t as good as they seem to be, and
then they ask for counselling. (Service provider)

27. 27
Complex Health Needs
Given their pre arrival experiences of torture and trauma, the psychosocial health needs of refugee
women at risk were also often quite complex, requiring longer term support. For some the
challenges were associated with survivor guilt and pressure to support those left behind in the
camps and urban areas overseas. The mental health consequences of limited access to family
reunification are significant. It is acknowledged that counselling alone will not resolve these
concerns. It is recognised that increased advocacy and legal support to assist women with family
reunification is also needed.
The other thing is feelings of guilt, I had a young girl who was depressed and she said that
she wished she never came because people over there think she is getting a great life and
they are over there suffering. (Service provider)
A number of women reported experiencing high levels of depression later in their settlement period
as noted above. Although the flexibility offered by QPASTT and other health services supported
many women to receive the assistance they required, it was evident that these issues impacted all
areas of women’s settlement. This included their relationships with their families, their ability to
engage fully with English classes and to build relationships with the wider community. In recognition
of the women’s often more complex and longer term mental health needs, it was suggested that
funding models be expanded to ensure targeted support was available in the latter stages of
settlement to both identify and respond to women at risk requiring ongoing support. Access to the
Commonwealth funded Complex Case Service is an important asset for consideration in responding
to the complex health and mental health needs of refugee women. Uptake and referral from general
service providers is slow and requires ongoing advocacy and support to identify women in need and
to pursue referrals.
Gaps in service provision
Additional informal support groups
In addition to the individual support provided by QPASTT and case workers, the women also spoke
of the value of women’s groups which assisted many to cope with the traumas they had endured
through the building of strong social networks. Although some groups have been recently
established, it was felt that additional groups were needed, and that where possible they should be
led by local refugee women but with the increased support of services. The women also

28. 28
recommended the re-establishment of some of the recently defunded groups. Some of these prior
groups led by refugee women, included social and recreation activities. They had helped to break
the isolation women felt, strengthen social relationships, and also address and provide a space to
raise issues about mental wellbeing. These more informal support options were seen as an
important complement to, not a replacement of, the existing torture and trauma counselling
services provided.
Expansion of existing torture and trauma programs
Given the recent increase in settlement to the region, including the targeted settlement of women
at risk, it was suggested that TMSG work with QPASTT to secure additional resources to expand the
current torture and trauma programs. This service is currently staffed by one worker who provides
essential assistance to many refugees, and has particular skills in working with women at risk.
However, the introduction of extra resources would enable the program to diversify further to have
a stronger focus on community development activities, and group based models of counselling.

29. 29
CRITERION 3. ENGLISH - A LEVEL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUFFICIENT TO FUNCTION
EFFECTIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET
To know how to speak English and to have a good life…The most important thing is
language first. (Refugee woman)
Post-traumatic stress disorder, coupled with the challenges of early settlement often significantly
impacted the ability of women at risk to learn English and to concentrate on their studies. Given
their histories of sexual abuse, some women were not comfortable learning in mixed gender
classrooms or with male teachers. Some single mothers with young children and lacking the support
of extended family found it difficult to regularly attend English classes. This is particularly the case in
the early stages of settlement when many women are still struggling to find stable housing, address
physical and mental health needs and to settle their children in school. Those women who, due to
conflict, gender-discrimination or poverty have never been to school and are not literate in their first
languages, face additional barriers in learning English.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
Many people didn't go to school back home. I didn't know English, but I did learn and
go to school to Year 10. I had knowledge of how to learn, most people don't have the
knowledge of how to learn, they have to start at the beginning. I knew, I can plan
what I want to learn. For those who can't and didn't go to school, they don't know
[it's hard]. (Refugee woman)
All of the women identified the importance of having the ability to communicate in English as being
fundamental to their settlement. Women saw this as being essential to their gaining employment,
navigating systems, supporting their children, being able to advocate on their own behalf, and
finding a sense of belonging and inclusion. Although all were encouraged and assisted by their HSS
case managers to attend English Language classes, a number reported experiencing significant
challenges with having their learning needs met.
The allocation of 510 hours of Department of Industry funded English classes was identified by both
the women and the services as being insufficient. The majority of the women required longer more
intensive language support than was available. Difficulties accessing public transport, and the
challenges of finding appropriate childcare, as well as concerns many women had about leaving their

30. 30
homes during the initial settlement period, meant that many would have preferred greater access to
home tutoring. However, within the existing resources available it was often difficult to provide such
individualised support.
Both the women and the workers reported that large class sizes and the resulting disparate levels of
English proficiency within the classes, meant that the available lessons were often not sufficient or
suitable, particularly for those women with no or limited literacy in their own languages, who had
more intensive learning needs. A number of women exited the 510 hours with little English
proficiency. This further compounded their vulnerability, leaving them isolated, and often unable to
communicate issues of concern to their case workers and other services. This included instances
where women required specific assistance with their settlement, and where they were experiencing
abuses of their rights. The majority also struggled to gain employment without enough language
proficiency.
Attending English classes help but it is not enough because the problem is when you
go to the classroom you find out there is one teacher with fifteen or eighteen and the
English teacher is speaking English and you don’t understand anything and because
you don’t understand what they are saying you don’t get anything out of it. (Refugee
woman)
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Pressure to learn English Quickly
During the initial settlement period many women were focused on other settlement needs including
finding appropriate housing, supporting children in their settlement and dealing with complex health
issues. They reported it was challenging to learn English if other settlement issues remained
unresolved, and whilst they were struggling to cope with the impacts of their trauma so soon after
arrival. This included fears about leaving their children with other carers and difficulties
concentrating whilst many were experiencing depression, tiredness and often quite complex mental
health issues. The focus on learning English within a short time also placed additional pressures on
their own settlement and that of their families at a stage when many women were already
experiencing other challenges. They requested extra time and increased support to learn English at
their own pace.

31. 31
Women with specific learning needs
Older women and women who had no prior education were identified as groups having specific
needs which were not currently being met as effectively as others by the existing English language
support program. A large proportion of the women were pre-literate and had never attended any
form of schooling or learning programs. Having exhausted their allocation of 510 hours, they were
then unable to access further support. There were reports that some women had become
increasingly isolated as a result, causing them considerable distress.
Like [this lady], she finished her hours, but she could not go on they told her it's over
you have finished your hours, but she is just at home doing nothing and it's not right.
(Refugee woman)
Livelihoods and Language
A number of women were keen to work but recognised or had been told that language was a barrier
to achieving this goal. This was a site of great frustration for the many women who were eager to
contribute but who could not locate appropriate employment whilst they were learning English. The
women were concerned about the time it took for them to learn English and at not having enough
access to vocational English classes which they felt could help them to find employment quicker. The
denial of such opportunities further contributed to a deterioration in women’s wellbeing and also
impacted their ability to move forward with their settlement. Workers observed that even the
additional hours available through the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program linked to
work readiness was often not enough to meet the women’s needs.
We want to work but because of our language barrier we cannot work and when we
are sick we cannot go to the doctors or hospital because of the language barriers.
(Refugee woman)
Gaps in service provision
[We need] Small class sizes or having a teacher's aide to help those who struggle,
have those who don't know English get more hours from the start. (Refugee woman)
With such diverse learning needs, some of the women felt that they would benefit from more
flexible learning options. They requested smaller class sizes with classes tailored to specific learning

32. 32
needs, and greater access to individual assistance through home tutoring. This was strongly
supported by workers who recognised the limitations of the available resources but agreed that the
majority of women required additional targeted support to learn English. All participants stressed
the need for a more tailored approach and the allocation of increased resources to help best meet
the intensive learning needs of women at risk. This included recognising the impact of women’s pre
arrival experiences of torture and trauma on their ability to learn within a structured environment.
In particular, it was identified that those women who were pre literate and those who had no prior
education required targeted learning programs with an allocation of additional hours to support
their learning needs. Women also required access to vocational English classes specifically linked to
employment.

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CRITERION 4. EDUCATION - SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR THEMSELVES AND
THEIR CHILDREN TO ENHANCE SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND EMPLOYMENT
PATHWAYS
I am in school still, I want to learn English fast and the first priority is my children, to have a
better life and a better education for me and my children. (Refugee woman)
Experiences of protracted displacement, insecurity and ongoing risk deny women and children the
opportunity to start or complete their education. For many women at risk, the lack of safety in
refugee camps and urban settings overseas prevents them from taking advantage of the few
opportunities available. Without family or community protection many are unable to safely walk to
schools or to training facilities. Reports of rape by teachers, male students and sexual exploitation in
exchange for grades and school materials, are not uncommon, contributing to women’s
unwillingness to allow their daughters to attend schools. For others displaced in urban areas, there
are often the additional challenges of having to decide between using their limited allowances to
provide food for their children or to cover the costs of transport to attend training or education
classes. For women at risk, settlement provides the important opportunity to finally realise their
hopes to access education for themselves and their children.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
Study hard to have a good education so that I can work with people in different
camps because if I have that job I can help people because I can know their suffering.
(Refugee woman)
All of the women considered education for themselves and their children to be a key aspect of their
successful settlement. They were pleased with the opportunities provided to their children within
schools. However difficulties with language and the women’s own education barriers prevented
some from providing their children with the additional support they needed with homework and
other school requests.
The majority identified education as one of their key hopes for a better future for themselves and
their families. They saw education as a pathway to not only change their lives, but that of their
communities in their home countries, with some eager to return to share their skills and knowledge.

34. 34
The women felt that having a qualification would enable them to contribute more effectively to their
new and former communities.
My hope in the future, I need me, my children to have a better education and to help the
government. … To have a better education and then to help others. To be able to contribute.
(Refugee woman)
As with many of the other criterion, the women believed that achieving success in this area would
enable them to succeed in others. They explained that access to appropriate education would lead
to employment, and appropriate housing, and in turn stability and safety for themselves and their
families. Although some education programs were available, including a number through TAFE,
prohibitive course costs, and difficulties in finding childcare, prevented many women from
attending. Language was also a considerable barrier for some. Other women reported difficulties in
having their overseas qualifications recognised. This prevented them from gaining entry into
courses and their chosen professions. However, those who had no prior education and others whose
education had been disrupted significantly, identified particular struggles. They explained there was
limited support available to assist them in finding appropriate education pathways. This was at times
exacerbated by the challenges already identified previously with accessing suitable English language
support.
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Those women who were able to access education reported it had a significantly positive impact on
their sense of identify and their overall wellbeing. For many it was about having rights once denied
to them restored, particularly for those women who had never been able to school before. However,
where women were unable to access, or where their qualifications were not recognised, this
contributed to a deterioration in their self esteem and eroded their sense of identity. Women who
had worked hard to achieve qualifications overseas were particularly frustrated at the length of time
it took to have their qualification recognised. The process of qualification recognition was complex
and lengthy, forcing women to either take lower skilled jobs, or to not work at all until the process
was completed. Women who spoke English in their home countries also reported feeling humiliated
when asked to retake English tests. Those women who were not literate, and others who had no
prior education, found it particularly difficult to find suitable employment. Without access to
employment, women faced additional financial pressures of trying to support family here and
overseas.

35. 35
Gaps in service provision
It was suggested specialised education and training programs be introduced to help support women
to gain appropriate qualifications. By offering programs which could be tailored more specifically to
the needs of refugee women, this would help them to identify appropriate and realistic vocational
pathways. Integrating English and Education classes together was one strategy identified to support
women to address the language barriers identified. The women felt that having the opportunity to
both learn new skills and knowledge, as well as practice their English in a supported environment
would assist them to address some of the challenges identified. Such initiatives would also help to
respond to some of the tensions women felt about whether they should prioritise English classes,
education or employment. As noted above in the section on Language, participants identified the
need for additional support to be provided to women without prior education, particularly older
women, to assist them to access more intensive education support and to identify alternative
learning opportunities. It was suggested education providers work with settlement services and
resettled women to develop such programs. Increased support with overseas skills recognition was
also considered essential to assisting those women who had prior education to transition more fully
into further education and employment once resettled.

36. 36
CRITERION 5. EMPLOYMENT - SATISFACTORY EMPLOYMENT WHICH LIFTS WOMEN OUT OF
POVERTY AND ALLOWS THEM TO ACHIEVE A DECENT STANDARD OF LIVING
This is our country we are going to live here for the rest of our lives we need to use
our skills or they will cut our payment, they ask us to look for job, they waste your
time sending you to jobs they say we don’t have skills [for], but we do, just not
English. (Refugee woman)
Many refugees struggle to find employment in their first years in Australia due to lack of English
language, of relevant work experiences, unrecognised qualifications, and often because of racist
attitudes. In addition to these reasons, the impacts of the trauma of their pre-arrival experience,
such as depression, inability to study and constant tiredness are major factors affecting the ability of
women at risk to gain employment. Most women at risk do not have partners or family members to
assist with childcare, which makes it very difficult for them to accept employment even if it is
available. Commercial childcare is beyond their financial reach.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
Even though I didn’t go to school, but if we get financial support we can do other
things…we have other skills but some skills are wasted because we don’t get any
support to reach our full potential.... Before coming here we were a very productive
people … all of our lives we have never had any social security so we were doing
business, activities, trading…. But here you waste your skills you have known all your
life. (Refugee woman)
Employment was viewed by all of the women as fundamental to their successful settlement. Many
women felt that having a ‘good’ job, sustained employment and access to education would help
them to settle well. They sought opportunities to utilise their skills or support to adapt them and
upgrade them and to use their knowledge to contribute. The women believed that having
employment would enable them both to move forward with their lives as individuals but also to help
support others. However many struggled to access appropriate employment. Language difficulties
and limited access to affordable training programs were the most significant barriers to finding
employment identified by the women. The challenges of an employment market in a regional area,

37. 37
including more limited vocational opportunities, and fewer available jobs, were also recognised as
obstacles to achieving this criterion.
Despite the recognised difficulties, a number of the women were employed and undertaking further
skills training. Some had been supported by TMSG to find new vocational pathways, but all
recognised that finding employment was a long term process.
I got a good job, I’m happy with that; aged care. I’m doing my RN and I’m doing a good
job compared to some… you take it step by step. I went back and did nursing and now
I’m doing my other one. (Refugee woman)
For many of the women this had been made possible with the support of their workers and positive
programs such as ‘Earn and Learn’. The ‘Earn and Learn’ program, since defunded, focused on
supporting refugees to get into employment by offering paid apprenticeships and work experience.
The program, which was highly valued by all participants, also provided intensive case management
support, and was viewed as an important initiative which both recognised and supported the diverse
strengths and the skills of the women. This recognition also contributed to improved psychosocial
health and wellbeing for many of the women.
Through the Earn and Learn project they have been able to secure employment and
they have had the experience of working…they come so far, they have achieved all
these things and the fact that they have the confidence now, they know that they’ve
got the skills. (Refugee woman)
In the absence of this program, women were only able to access generalist employment support
through local job network services and Centrelink. These often did not recognise their diverse skills
and complex needs.
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Financial stress and physical risks associated with poverty
The women reported a number of barriers to accessing employment, including language difficulties
as noted above, the limited recognition of their prior skills and work experience, the ongoing
impacts of the traumas they had experienced and the absence of affordable and accessible child
care. The majority of women were resettled without family supports and struggled to afford local
childcare. Others were in significant financial distress having to pay high rental costs, as well as send

38. 38
remittances to support family still at risk overseas. This, as noted in earlier sections, placed
incredible pressure on women and caused them considerable stress when they were unable to find
employment. Women who were not employed were heavily dependent on Centrelink payments for
support. They were often then left with little funds to be able to secure appropriate housing, further
compounding their feelings of fear and uncertainty in settlement. The women were eager not to rely
on Centrelink but most had little choice with limited employment options available to them.
Lack of sustainable employment pathways and support options
I would like to do community services because I have lots of experience in the camp.
(Refugee woman)
Women were keen to build on the work they had done prior to their arrival in Australia. They
recognised that although there were many barriers to women’s participation in livelihood
opportunities, they felt these could be overcome with support and training. However there were
limited options for women to access these, or for services to be able to identify the skills and
knowledge women held. A number of the women voiced their frustration at feeling their skills and
their prior qualifications were being wasted whilst they were unable to find suitable employment. As
discussed above, where women’s qualifications and skills were not recognised and they were unable
to find employment, they often struggled to achieve success within the other criterion areas,
including being able to afford safe housing, and to provide adequately for their families here and
overseas. This ongoing lack of recognition also left some women feeling depressed and without
value.
Gaps in service provision
The absence of tailored employment programs and the limited capacity of existing services to assess
and support women’s pre skills and training was a significant gap reported by all of the women and
their workers. It was agreed that intensive specialised support was also needed to support women
to identify and learn new skills which could be tailored to the local employment market. They
requested access to specialised training and employment programs for refugee women. It was
suggested these could be linked to HSS support, and to women’s social support groups. Given the
success of the Earn and Learn program, all participants recommended the program be refunded,
with additional resources allocated to ensure more women were able to access the program. They
also suggested training and mentoring programs be established which could be led by other refugee

39. 39
women. It was felt such programs would provide much needed social support, as well opportunities
for women to access training and work experience within a familiar and safe environment.
We see women who manage to get some jobs, even cleaning in a supermarket, you can
see the difference in they way they see themselves…So having a job, but also the way
they hold themselves. (Service provider)

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CRITERION 6. FAMILY – THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STABLE FAMILY LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
INCLUDING ACCESS TO FAMILY REUNION WITH PARTNERS, CHILDREN,
PARENTS, SIBLINGS, BOTH BLOOD RELATIVES AND ADOPTED FAMILY
MEMBERS
Help them to bring family...because they need some help they can’t survive by
themselves. (Refugee woman)
By definition, women at risk have experienced violence and trauma prior to arrival in Australia.
Many have spent the majority of their lives in refugee camps or in insecure urban areas. Some were
born and grew up as refugees. Children have both witnessed and experienced the grief, and trauma
experienced by their parents. Many children have suffered violence and sexual abuse themselves.
Some practices, considered good practice in camps, such as locking young children in a room for
their safety when parents have to attend to business are considered to be child neglect and abuse in
Australia. Upon resettlement, often traumatised parents are trying to deal with both their own
experiences and the trauma of their children in an often strange and hostile environment without
family or community support. At times, they struggle to come to terms with parenting practice in
Australia, and need help for themselves and their children. The limited opportunities to sponsor
immediate and extended family only further compound the difficulties that women at risk and their
children face.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
Please please tell the government the refugee want to have the family. You can eat and you
can find the money, but you need to have the family. (Refugee woman)
For all of the women their own settlement could not be considered a success without their families.
This included the importance of companionship and strong relationships with family here in
Australia, and the opportunity to be reunited with family still at risk overseas. However, all
participants also recognised there were limited resources available to support women to apply for
family reunification. They expressed concerns that current immigration policy approaches meant
that it was unlikely families would be reunited soon.

41. 41
In sharing their hopes for their future in Australia, women spoke of their desire for peace, for safety
and most of all for a better and a different life for themselves and their families. Women with
families prioritised first and foremost their hopes for their children. However some women reported
struggling to support their children, including the many challenges of parenting alone within a new
and unfamiliar environment. They expressed concern about stresses in their relationships with
partners, including incidences of domestic violence. Although many women were able to find
important support from their case managers, they explained that there was a need to explore more
community led options to share information on rights and the law in Australia to prevent problems
from occurring and to work together with services to address issues of concern.
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Separation from family still at risk overseas
Some of the women had been separated from their children, and others their husbands, who all
remained in danger overseas. They expressed considerable distress about being apart from their
families. As noted earlier, the women spoke of the responsibility they felt to send remittances to
family overseas whilst also facing their own struggles in settlement. A number were living in poverty
because of this. Separation from family also impacted significantly the women’s wellbeing with
many experiencing depression and anxiety. The ongoing guilt of having survived and being resettled
to relative safety without their family, compounded further the trauma many women were already
struggling to cope with. The women felt that being reunited with family would ease many of the
pressures they experienced, from financial worries to improved mental health and wellbeing.

42. 42
Those women resettled with children spoke about the importance of education and a new beginning
for their families. They felt that life in Australia afforded their children a future that they would not
have otherwise had. In particular they emphasised the importance of their children living in safety
and with access to education. However, women resettled alone also spoke of the impacts of the
absence of family support and connections. As well as the effects on their mental health, some
women were also unable to access employment or pursue education opportunities because they
had no one to look after their children. They spoke of the challenges of parenting on their own,
including the difficulties of dealing with intergenerational conflict and of being able to support their
children with their education.
She say before she came here she was desire to come here and when she came here
she was very happy and the first thing she say as it was peace, not war again, no to
be refugee like how she was in the Africa, she say, for the children, she was happy for
the children that we get education she say. (Refugee woman)
There were also some concerns from women about the removal of children by child protection
authorities. They were worried this was occurring because of discipline issues, or because they were
seen as being unable to parent appropriately within the Australian context.
For example if you have a bad neighbour, and your child falls over and cries, the neighbour
will call police and claim that you are beating your children. Sometimes parents have found
themselves in court, and children taken away. (Refugee woman)
Without access to family or community support and unable to afford childcare, some women also
had no choice but to leave their children home alone. They felt at times frustrated and confused

43. 43
about the focus on children’s rights with what appeared to be little emphasis on responsibilities.
Some of these concerns as noted above were focused on the difficulties of how to discipline children
without smacking. There were reports of children threatening to call the police if physically
punished. A number of women requested more assistance to support them to engage with their
children effectively whilst still maintaining discipline and a good relationship. They were worried
about being seen as bad parents when they were doing all they could to support their families with
limited assistance. Women were sometimes unsure how to engage with the legal system and where
to seek support in such cases.
Gaps in service provision
Limited access to family reunion
The women and their workers advocated strongly for family reunification and asked for this to be
prioritised for single women and widows. To address the current resourcing gaps, both groups
requested greater access to affordable migration support. They also asked that DIBP recognise the
particular impacts family separation has on the vulnerability of women at risk, and that greater
consideration be given to processing these cases quickly.
Family and relationship support services
Recognising some of the challenges women reported within relationships, services identified that in
order to assist women to settle well, they needed to engage with and work in partnership with the
whole family, including with resettled men and with the children. This included sharing information
about rights, and discussing issues of gender equality, which in many cases were seen as key
contributors to family conflict. It was suggested additional resources be directed towards family
support services which were tailored to meet the needs of refugee families, including support for
women with parenting and intergenerational issues. Participants also recommended that in addition
to the provision of targeted individual support services, services consult more widely with refugee
communities to understand better the issues impacting these groups. They felt this would also
present further opportunities for services and communities to work in partnership to develop
initiatives to address some of the concerns identified.

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Category Two: The Intangible Aspects of Settlement
The second set of criteria address some of the less tangible forms of support and assistance that the
women identified as being as important, if not more important, than some of the more tangible
forms of settlement service provision. However, although imperative for good settlement, the
intangible nature of these criteria makes them both more difficult to document and to implement in
service provision. They are not so much about the services required but the approach and attitudes
of both specialist settlement and mainstream service providers which inform their responses to the
needs of the refugee women. These are all interlinked and represent key elements of the kind of
assistance and support women seek to foster a sense of recognition and belonging. While the
findings for each of these criterion are presented separately, there is clear linkage and cross- over
between each one.

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CRITERION 7. SAFETY - FEELING SAFE AND SECURE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES
The day I see these people from Australia, I cry... I say thank you very much my life
now has changed. I can go to school, speak English...Now my education for me, my
kids my life has changed...I say thank you and god help you one day. In Australia now
everything is good food, safe, money, house, it is very, very good, very nice. (Refugee
woman)
The opportunity to rebuild their lives and their children’s lives in an environment of safety and
security is foundational to successful settlement for women at risk. Without this, past traumas
cannot be left behind and women and their children remain at ongoing risk of experiencing new
forms of violence, trauma and insecurity. During the consultations and interviews, almost without
exception refugee women, both those who had been settled for many years and those who had
recently arrived, identified the need to feel safe and secure as their top settlement priority.
Women’s greatest hope was to leave behind the fear, risk and human rights abuses that they had
lived with for extended periods in dangerous refugee camps or insecure neighbourhoods in urban
areas overseas.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
In the beginning it was uncomfortable, a different country. I was running from a war,
then I feel good here, safe... I am happy because they treat me very good, I’m not by
myself, I’m eating... (Refugee woman)
Whilst many women reported feeling quite anxious on arrival, they found that the support, welcome
and guidance of their workers helped to assure them that they and their families would be safe and
secure in Australia. Feelings of safety for the women were linked to a sense of knowing ‘how to
survive’ in the settlement context. A number of workers commented that the more secure women
felt in their settlement and the greater the knowledge they had of how things worked and where
they could get help, the safer they felt. In addition to the case management and orientation model
provided for under the HSS, TMSG workers spent considerable amounts of time with the women in
their homes, ensuring they could tailor their case management plans most effectively to meet the
women’s needs. Given the complexity of the women’s experiences, it was often necessary for
workers to spend additional case management time with the women, beyond what was originally
allocated under the HSS provisions. All participants highlighted the need for increased recognition

46. 46
within HSS guidelines of the importance of additional case management time for women at risk. The
time spent helped to strengthen trust and to ensure the women felt safe. During these visits,
workers spoke extensively with the women about the nature and level of support required. They
also sought to identify whether the women wished to be linked in to further support through their
own community members, or through volunteers. In doing so, workers were able to build a stronger
picture of women’s needs and identify any potential risks or concerns they might have about their
new environment.
Some women were surprised to feel safe, and to discover that for the first time in their lives, they
could be protected from violence and abuses of their rights. Many of the women explained that life
in Australia had restored rights that had previously been denied. They spoke often about the
freedoms which they now enjoyed in Australia including the ability to speak out about issues of
concern, and to practise their religion in peace. Once established, the majority of women reported
feeling safe and secure. The welcome extended by the wider community helped with this process.
The women also found considerable comfort in the knowledge that if something did go wrong or
they felt unsafe, they could find support with TMSG.
What are the key challenges and impacts for refugee women?
Ongoing feelings of insecurity and fear
Although many women reported feeling secure in their settlement, all told of feeling considerable
fear and anxiety upon arrival. For some women, these feelings continued long into their settlement
period and were compounded by both their pre arrival experiences of torture and trauma, and by
ongoing challenges experienced once resettled. As discussed earlier, unsafe housing and the inability
to financially support their families, left some women feeling unsafe and worried about how they
would protect themselves. They also expressed concerns about whether their fears would be
understood or how they could communicate with their workers. Some women were also worried
that if they made a mistake or did not do something right they would be sent back their home
countries.
Some of them call you all the time, text you all the time and you know that they aren’t
feeling secure and safe, and they need that extra support all the time. (Service provider)
Impact of pre arrival experiences

47. 47
Given their pre-arrival experiences of violence and abuse, many of the women’s concerns were
focused on safety. These experiences had a significant impact on their ability to feel safe and to trust
their workers and the communities into which they were settled. Participants reported it was often
difficult for women who had been raped and suffered severe sexual abuse to disclose these
experiences.
Back home we experience many things sometimes it can impact people here;
sometimes, I don't want to remember because it makes me cry; especially women, we
go through many problems, police can get you, can rape you, you don't have anything
to say, many problems are not in my application because I was ashamed. (Refugee
woman)
They were sometimes concerned about engaging with their own communities, and were fearful in
the presence of men. The women emphasised the need for workers to be aware of and to recognise
these experiences and how it could impact on their settlement even years after arrival. They
believed that if greater attention was given to this when women first arrived this would assist their
settlement significantly. Although some workers were very aware of and responsive to this, where
women’s experiences were ignored or opportunities were not presented for them to share their
experiences, this only worsened the trauma and shame felt. It often then made it difficult for women
to feel comfortable to disclose their experiences in the future
If we acknowledge this part of their life [pre arrival] they feel loved, safe, at beginning
these women will shine. It is so easy to ignore. To be honest it’s devastating. (Refugee
woman)
Workers reported that on occasion some women would experience ‘triggers’ which made them feel
unsafe and insecure. These were usually incidences which reminded them of their prior abuses. Such
experiences highlighted the importance of having workers who were well trained to identify and
respond to the complex needs of women at risk.
Overall they do feel safe, there are certain things that can trigger, not things to do
with Australia, but if they hear a sound or smell, they know they are safe but it
reminds them about home. (Service provider)

48. 48
Ongoing vulnerability
Where women had ongoing experiences of violence and abuse it was more challenging for them to
maintain a sense of wellbeing and to feel settled. Domestic violence was identified as a concern for
some women. They explained the impacts of this violence were further compounded by the shame
felt about these experiences and their concerns about who they could turn to in order to seek
support. These women felt isolated and expressed worries they would be ostracised from their
communities if their circumstances became known.
The men have been told that you don’t beat women, they agree but they treat you
with violence in many ways; emotionally, financially, they might not hit you or beat
you but they do other things that abuses you. …We stay in our culture, we feel like we
would be ashamed and stigmatised if we tell someone what’s going on (Refugee
woman)
Although reports of direct abuse against the women outside of relationships were rare, some
women did disclose experiences which made them feel unsafe. In one instance a woman’s house
was broken into shortly after arrival. The incident was reported to the police but because the
women and her family spoke little English it was difficult for them to communicate what had
happened. Such incidences highlight further the compounding impact language barriers have on
women’s ability to feel safe and secure in settlement.
I was very scared, I’m a single mother... It brought back fears and reminded what’s
happening to me. I thought even in Australia it’s not safe. (Refugee woman)
Isolation, discrimination and ostracisation
There were also reports of women experiencing discrimination and exclusion, including cases where
women were ostracised from their own communities. In some cases as noted above this was due to
instances of reporting domestic violence. However single women and widows in particular spoke of
being stigmatised because of their status. They explained how they were often stopped from
attending community events and forming relationships with members of their own community.
Single women and divorced women were sometimes viewed as poor influences and were prevented
from mixing with other women in their communities. This exclusion had a considerable impact on
their ability to cope with the traumas already experienced, and contributed significantly to their
isolation.

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The problem is no husband, single mother not safe as well. Sometime you going
[somewhere and there's] other husband there, [some women say] this single mother
come [after] my husband - she taking way my husband, jealous, you feel
embarrassed. (Refugee woman)
Gaps in Service Provision
Support – people believing in them, giving them a safe place to come together, to be
able to acquire information about services available, can be trust that they are
accessing service from. (Service provider)
All participants agreed that long term intensive case management support was needed to help
women to feel safe and secure in their settlement. They also recommended the establishment of a
range of ‘safe spaces’ for women to assist them with the process of feeling settled and secure.
Suggestions included having increased home visits, access to home tutoring and the establishment
of social support groups. It was felt this would assist to break the isolation often faced by women,
and provide them with opportunities to find support with others.

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CRITERION 8. RESPECT - FEELING THEY ARE RESPECTED, AS PEOPLE OF WORTH AND
TREATED WITH DIGNITY IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES
My understanding is that the women…need self-esteem. We don’t have self-
esteem.... Women should be safe by standing up for ourselves. (Refugee woman)
Feeling respected as individuals and for their strengths and capacities is crucial for women at risk as
this enhances their self-esteem and confidence in rebuilding their lives in Australia. For many
women at risk, settlement to Australia provides them with their first real opportunity to enjoy their
rights and entitlements as women and as human beings. A core aspect of the need to feel respected
and to be treated with dignity is the desire for recognition as people of worth. However, often their
identities are obscured by the history of the human rights abuses and the traumas they have
experienced. Experiences of stigma and feelings of shame, being labelled as ‘damaged goods’ or
‘fallen women’ following rape and other forms of sexual exploitation, can lead to women being
excluded and ostracised from their communities. In particular, women who have given birth to one
or more babies of rape often face ongoing stigma, derision and exclusion by members of their own
communities. For refugee women at risk who have experienced severe abuses of their human rights
to safety, bodily integrity and autonomy, regaining their dignity and feeling respected was central to
them rebuilding their lives.
To what extent do current services address this criterion?
[You need] the right staff!...To understand and have knowledge about power
dynamics, that you don’t suppress the client … Even just understanding how you could
be seen by the other person. (Service provider)
The attitudes and approach of settlement and other services were viewed by all of the women and
their workers as being key to helping them feel safe and secure in their settlement. This included the
need for workers to respect, recognise and value the women’s strengths and skills and not to
position them as victims in need of rescue without agency. The women showed incredible resilience,
determination and resourcefulness in their approach to settlement. Workers emphasised the
importance of a strengths based approach to service provision, which ensured women were treated
with respect and dignity.