The report offers a comprehensive examination of how temporary migration status intersects with experiences of family violence in Australia. Drawing on 300 case files from InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence, the study reveals that temporary migrant women face unique vulnerabilities due to their precarious visa status, limited access to support services, and the leverage this provides to perpetrators.
The report highlights how migration status can be weaponised—through threats of deportation, withdrawal of sponsorship, and control over children—to exert coercive control. It also identifies systemic gaps in housing, financial support, and legal protections, particularly for women not eligible for the Family Violence Provision (FVP). The study calls for improved risk assessment frameworks, specialised service models, and legislative reform to better support this cohort.
Importantly, the report also uncovers overlaps between family violence and offences such as forced marriage, servitude, and trafficking, urging greater recognition and referral pathways. It concludes with a call for policy and legal responses that prioritise victim-survivors’ safety and rights over migration status, advocating for a future free from gendered violence.
