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| Rise in hunger strikes and self-harm in Australian immigration centres | Rise in hunger strikes and self-harm in Australian immigration centres |
| (4 months later) | |
| There have been large increases in the number of self-harm and hunger strike incidents at two of Australia's largest immigration detention centres, Christmas Island and Curtin Detention Centre, according to figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act. | There have been large increases in the number of self-harm and hunger strike incidents at two of Australia's largest immigration detention centres, Christmas Island and Curtin Detention Centre, according to figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act. |
| A vast dataset, which details every incident reported in each operational immigration detention centre (IDC) in Australia between October 2009 and May 2011, shows the number of logged incidents – including self-harm, assaults, hunger strikes and damage as well as minor incidents – across much of Australia's immigration detention network. | A vast dataset, which details every incident reported in each operational immigration detention centre (IDC) in Australia between October 2009 and May 2011, shows the number of logged incidents – including self-harm, assaults, hunger strikes and damage as well as minor incidents – across much of Australia's immigration detention network. |
| The data, seen in advance by three Australian digital news organisations – the Global Mail, New Matilda and Guardian Australia – shows there were 7,632 operational incidents reported across the facilities in the time period. This works out to 1.76 incidents per person in detention. These included 921 incidents of self-harm (both threatened and actual), 850 incidents of voluntary starvation (both for less than and more than 24 hours) and 877 serious accidents and injuries. | The data, seen in advance by three Australian digital news organisations – the Global Mail, New Matilda and Guardian Australia – shows there were 7,632 operational incidents reported across the facilities in the time period. This works out to 1.76 incidents per person in detention. These included 921 incidents of self-harm (both threatened and actual), 850 incidents of voluntary starvation (both for less than and more than 24 hours) and 877 serious accidents and injuries. |
| The release of the dataset coincides with the launch of an online transparency project, Detention Logs, which is aimed at interrogating Australia's immigration detention network. | The release of the dataset coincides with the launch of an online transparency project, Detention Logs, which is aimed at interrogating Australia's immigration detention network. |
| Guardian Australia's analysis of the data reveals a number of striking trends in immigration detention facilities around the country between 2009-11. | Guardian Australia's analysis of the data reveals a number of striking trends in immigration detention facilities around the country between 2009-11. |
| • Christmas Island has the highest number of self-harm incidents a month, going from fewer than 10 to 115 over the space of a year. Christmas Island (defined by Guardian Australia as one detention facility) also had the highest total number of reported incidents – 2,416 – although it also has the highest average detainee population of 4,270. | • Christmas Island has the highest number of self-harm incidents a month, going from fewer than 10 to 115 over the space of a year. Christmas Island (defined by Guardian Australia as one detention facility) also had the highest total number of reported incidents – 2,416 – although it also has the highest average detainee population of 4,270. |
| • Voluntary starvation incidents are highest at Curtin IDC in Western Australia, with 388 over the reported period. There was a huge increase in hunger strikes, going from none in October 2010 to 138 in May 2011. | • Voluntary starvation incidents are highest at Curtin IDC in Western Australia, with 388 over the reported period. There was a huge increase in hunger strikes, going from none in October 2010 to 138 in May 2011. |
| • Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation has the highest number of incidents per detainee, with an average of 6.77 incidents per person. Villawood IDC in Sydney is second, at 5.56 per person. | • Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation has the highest number of incidents per detainee, with an average of 6.77 incidents per person. Villawood IDC in Sydney is second, at 5.56 per person. |
| • Villawood has the highest use of force, restraints and observation rooms by staff in the network, with a total of 198, even though Villawood's average population is only the fifth largest. Villawood was also the highest for abusive and aggressive behaviour from detainees. | • Villawood has the highest use of force, restraints and observation rooms by staff in the network, with a total of 198, even though Villawood's average population is only the fifth largest. Villawood was also the highest for abusive and aggressive behaviour from detainees. |
| Lengthy investigations by the Global Mail and New Matilda have shed further light on the data. | Lengthy investigations by the Global Mail and New Matilda have shed further light on the data. |
| The Global Mail has used the data to investigate the circumstances surrounding the 2011 Christmas Island riots by using incident reports and interviews with guards and detainees present at the time. | The Global Mail has used the data to investigate the circumstances surrounding the 2011 Christmas Island riots by using incident reports and interviews with guards and detainees present at the time. |
| The report reveals the chaotic state of the facility during the riots, including the serious self-harm events. Interviews with guards also reveal that staff with the private security company Serco are only given one week's training in incident reporting. | The report reveals the chaotic state of the facility during the riots, including the serious self-harm events. Interviews with guards also reveal that staff with the private security company Serco are only given one week's training in incident reporting. |
| New Matilda's investigation has revealed the details of the 921 reported self-harm incidents across the detention network in the logs' timeframe. They include swallowing razor blades, drinking washing powder, overdosing on medication, hangings and digging mock graves. | New Matilda's investigation has revealed the details of the 921 reported self-harm incidents across the detention network in the logs' timeframe. They include swallowing razor blades, drinking washing powder, overdosing on medication, hangings and digging mock graves. |
| They also reported on the 454 assaults that occurred, ranging from verbal altercations and physical scuffles to serious allegations of sexual assault. | They also reported on the 454 assaults that occurred, ranging from verbal altercations and physical scuffles to serious allegations of sexual assault. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Immigration said the statistics revealed, "sadly a reflection of what occurred when people are in long-term detention, where it is not possible to necessarily provide them with a finite period by which either the processing will have been completed and an answer [given] around whether they engage protection obligations or not". | A spokesman for the Department of Immigration said the statistics revealed, "sadly a reflection of what occurred when people are in long-term detention, where it is not possible to necessarily provide them with a finite period by which either the processing will have been completed and an answer [given] around whether they engage protection obligations or not". |
| He said the timeframe the data covers was a particularly "high tempo" period of people being processed in the immigration network. He said many of the challenges the statistics highlighted, including the length of time people face in detention, had subsequently been addressed by the government. | He said the timeframe the data covers was a particularly "high tempo" period of people being processed in the immigration network. He said many of the challenges the statistics highlighted, including the length of time people face in detention, had subsequently been addressed by the government. |
| Operational incident reports are produced by Serco, which has managed Australia's immigration network since November 2009. They are produced each time an operational incident occurs and vary from minor incidents such as missing property, to major incidents including death and self-harm. | Operational incident reports are produced by Serco, which has managed Australia's immigration network since November 2009. They are produced each time an operational incident occurs and vary from minor incidents such as missing property, to major incidents including death and self-harm. |
| The Detention Logs website is encouraging readers to take part in an open journalism and freedom of information (FoI) project. Collaborating with Right To Know, users are able to instantly lodge an FoI request for further details on an incident of interest that is mentioned in the logs. | The Detention Logs website is encouraging readers to take part in an open journalism and freedom of information (FoI) project. Collaborating with Right To Know, users are able to instantly lodge an FoI request for further details on an incident of interest that is mentioned in the logs. |
| Writing for Guardian Australia, the founders of the Detention Logs site said: "Open journalism is also about engaging with our audience, and one of the key features of the Detention Logs site is our 'Adopt an Incident' campaign, which is run through Open Australia's Right to Know site. For this campaign, all of our readers can become involved to help make Australian detention centres more transparent by lodging freedom of information requests for an individual incident report." | Writing for Guardian Australia, the founders of the Detention Logs site said: "Open journalism is also about engaging with our audience, and one of the key features of the Detention Logs site is our 'Adopt an Incident' campaign, which is run through Open Australia's Right to Know site. For this campaign, all of our readers can become involved to help make Australian detention centres more transparent by lodging freedom of information requests for an individual incident report." |
| They added: "As debate about immigration becomes more heated the closer we head to an election, more information about detention facilities will improve the quality of debate. Our aim is to publish data, documents and investigations that reveals more about conditions and events inside Australia's detention centres." | They added: "As debate about immigration becomes more heated the closer we head to an election, more information about detention facilities will improve the quality of debate. Our aim is to publish data, documents and investigations that reveals more about conditions and events inside Australia's detention centres." |
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