Finding Safety Project featured at special roundtable on women’s safety

On Friday 13 September, JRS Australia’s Acting Country Director Josephine Rechichi and Finding Safety Project Coordinator Sara Muzamil attended a special roundtable conversation with Parramatta’s local Federal Member, Dr. Andrew Charlton MP, and the NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner, Dr Hannah Tonkin.

Sara shared an emotive story of our client’s experiences navigating a failed system. This contribution was deeply moving, thought provoking, and rated an honourable mention from the dignitaries.

Josephine spoke about the importance of making visible the experiences of women who are invisible in the system.

In reports and plans, Josephine also called for a disaggregation of the term CALD – meaning “culturally and linguistically diverse”. The experiences of this cohort are so diverse, and the term does not adequately highlight the vulnerabilities and structural impediments to safety faced specifically by the women we serve.

Jose also stressed the need for a new approach that recognises that where violence occurs on Australian soil, often by Australian citizens, a woman’s visa status should be inconsequential to her access to safety.

“We have a duty of care to all women who experience gender-based violence, and women seeking asylum, or on temporary visas, should have the same rights and the same access to safety and justice as any woman in Australia,” Josephine said.

More about our Finding Safety Project

Our Finding Safety Project supports women seeking asylum who have experienced violence, through casework, emergency relief, and community wellbeing. The Project also provides education for the sector and government to improve access to safety for the women we serve.

Learn more about the Finding Safety Project here.