Introduction
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Immigration detention is harmful by its very nature. People who have been detained have described a feeling of suffocation from being locked up and separated from the community, without knowledge of when they will be released. At the same time, for the majority of people detained, there is a looming prospect of enforced removal. The risk of non-voluntary return can involve further danger to them, including a risk to their life. These extreme pressures are further exacerbated by widespread failures across the immigration detention estate including poor conditions, inadequate safeguards, mistreatment and difficulties accessing good quality legal advice.
“I was in a place for months and you don’t do anything. You don’t speak to people. You just get quiet. Sometimes now, I have the problem when I feel like I just don’t want to talk with anyone. Even now, I feel like I am in detention. The only difference is I’m on the outside. I can see people. Those months in detention, you close in on yourself.” (34-year-old man, detained for 3 months, 7doors)[1]
It is well recognised - through the testimonies of people detained, in academic research, through public and statutory inquiries into detention, amongst national and international human right mechanisms and in evidence from organisations working in immigration detention - that detention has a profoundly negative impact on people. This can include increasing a person’s risk of self-harm and/or suicide, with such risks being increased by prolonged detention. The adverse effects on mental health do not just last during the time of detention itself but often continue after release.
It is against this very challenging backdrop that this chapter provides visitors with an understanding of safeguarding issues that can arise, a summary of the complex safeguarding policies and processes for people in detention, practical steps that can be taken as well as the important role that visitors play in providing emotional support and relief during someone’s time in detention. The final section deals with some important things to keep in mind for your own wellbeing.
Content Warning
Please be mindful that this chapter deals with highly sensitive topics including suicide and self-harm. Please look after yourself. This chapter includes a section on looking after your own wellbeing and we include links to useful resources in the final section. We also encourage you to reach out to AVID and your visitor group for further support.
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