This week, the Australian Government further expanded family violence provisions for temporary visa holders, meaning secondary applicants of 11 permanent visa categories will be able to access Family Violence Protections. This crucial change means more visa holders experiencing domestic and family violence will have options to continue their permanent visa pathway, even after leaving an abusive relationship.
Family violence is always a stressful and dangerous time. For women on temporary visas, the dangers of family violence are often amplified when attempting to leave an abusive relationship. These women find themselves far away from their support networks, stressed about their residency status, and with limited access to income, accommodation, and essential services. Recognising this critical need, we partnered with Northern Community Legal Centre to create the Safe Landing Program. Through this program, we’ve seen first-hand the unique challenges that come with being a temporary visa holder and experiencing family violence.
The Challenges Faced by Temporary Visa Holders
Women and children on temporary visas face numerous obstacles when seeking help for family violence:
- Limited access to income and accommodation
- Restricted access to basic services, such as medicare or centrelink
- Real risk of deportation and separation from children
- Language barriers making it difficult to navigate the legal system
- Cumbersome legal procedures and requirements
- Lack of support networks
Additionally, intersectional issues such as generational migration experiences, racism, and post-traumatic stress can further complicate their situation.
Success Story: A Journey to Safety and Independence
Our Safe Landing Program is designed to support people on temporary visas who have experienced family violence. We help them navigate the legal system, recover, and thrive. Our approach is holistic, addressing not just immediate legal needs but also working to improve overall quality of life.
To illustrate the impact of our program, let’s look at a recent success story. A client came to Australia believing they had found the perfect life with their partner. However, after submitting a partner visa application, their situation changed dramatically. Their partner became financially, physically, and psychologically abusive, using the client’s immigration status as a weapon of control.
Through the Safe Landing Program, we were able to provide comprehensive support. This included legal assistance to resolve visa status, ultimately helping our client gain permanent residency. We also offered financial and emotional support, referrals to English language classes, help with accessing Medicare, and financial support through the Red Cross. Additionally, we assisted in obtaining a Family Violence Intervention Order and provided support through the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal.
Thanks to this multi-faceted approach, our client was able to leave their abusive situation with their safety and legal rights intact. Today, they are employed, optimistic about the future, and planning to pursue tertiary education.
This story demonstrates the power of our holistic approach. By addressing not just the immediate legal issues but also the broader challenges faced by victims of family violence on temporary visas, we can help individuals regain control of their lives and break cycles of abuse.
These new provisions will make it easier for some people to continue their permanent visa pathway while leaving an abusive situation, yet it still leaves some visa subclasses without appropriate support.
Expanded provisions provide hope, but we can do more
Too often, we see women who feel stuck in abusive relationships due to fear of being deported should they leave. At times, these women are forced to choose between their own safety or staying with their abuser to access a permanent visa in order to stay with their children/family in Australia. That’s unfair, and it needed to change.
With these expanded provisions, services like South-East Monash Legal Service will be able to offer our clients new pathways for keeping their visa, leaving abuse and navigating to safety. While this is an important step forward, there’s still more we can do to ensure the law better protects victim-survivors of family violence. We’d love to see these same provisions apply to all family violence victim-survivors, regardless of their visa subclass.
The Safe Landing Program is making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals in our community. If you or someone you know is on a temporary visa and experiencing family violence, please reach out to South-East Monash Legal Service or Northern Community Legal Centre for support.
Together, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their visa status, has access to the legal help and support they need to live safe, empowered lives.
