Domestic violence support services are calling for a update to legislation to help women on temporary visas as womens shelters are being flooded with temporary visa holders
Currently, the Migration Act allows for some holders to apply for family violence related assistance, however some people are not eligible due to issues concerning business, working and/ or student visas
The situation has escalated to the point where entire support service client base’s are comprised of women on temporary visa experiencing violence as they have no other option says Monique Dam, manager of Domestic Violence NSW
This situation lines up with a national survey finding 24 percent of women on temporary visas faced barriers in accessing support such as permanent housing.