One of the worst aspects of the Border Force takeover of detention camps has been the militarisation and increased use of force against people seeking asylum. Women have been especially targeted by SERCO and Border Force.

Next week in the Senate, the government will introduce the Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015, which seeks even more powers to use against women, children and men in detention. (See the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s briefing paper on the bill.)

Detention

Examples of the increased use of force are the use of electronic scanners and physical pat downs of women before they come and go to medical or counselling appointments outside the camp.

The pat downs involve female guards running their hands over breasts, bottoms and legs. The women find it very intrusive and some have had panic attacks – it has brought flash backs of sexual abuse and rape attacks on Nauru. It is excessive and unnecessary and was not done until Border Force took over. The women are escorted with two guards holding their upper arms from reception to the van.

The only point of this is to demonstrate physical force. As the women say: “Where would I go?”

Another current practice is the use of male guards inside the women’s rooms at night. This is called “high watch” or “PSP” (Psychological Support Program). If a person expresses suicidal thoughts or is seen to be missing meals etc., the rule is to increase surveillance. It is not therapeutic or recommended by doctors; it is a security measure to ensure that SERCO is not fined.

The rooms at the Melbourne Immigration and Transit Accommodation (Broadmeadows detention centre) are 3 metres by 2.5 metres, with a double bunk bed and small cupboard. So for a guard to sit on a chair all night in the room, they are literally at arm’s length. The women cannot sleep in this situation.

Some guards will not allow toilet doors to be closed which is really distressing for the women. The sudden room searches are a cause of great anxiety. Previously, they were given a few minutes warning. Now, there is no warning as guards enter the rooms. The children are distressed by seeing their parents with no ability to defend them or their possessions.

Now sewing machines are banned. Donated machines are sitting in the property office for months. We have tried to negotiate with Border Force to no avail. One woman who has had a machine for a year has now had it taken away. Life in detention is boring and these women wanted something constructive to do – to make things for their children. This is the brutality of the new regime.

Children are escorted into schools by guards in uniform. The days of plain clothes for this are over. Other children tease them about having no families, only guards.

Hospital

Security protocols in hospitals previously had the objective of ensuring no media access to those in detention. Six guards over a 24-hour shift would sit outside the rooms of patients who could not walk or who were unconscious – or of women who had just given birth.

However, today’s surveillance has reached a new level of cruelty. Some hospitals allow male and female guards to sit beside the bed of the patient. Other hospitals insist that guards sit outside the door. Others, even more enlightened, tell guards to sit at the entrance, not in sight of the patient. These conditions depend on the assertiveness of the hospital staff. We must all be concerned and vigilant when we see hospitals placing ridiculous security protocols above the welfare and care of the patient.

Some women and most men are now taken to hospital in handcuffs. There are reports of women being in hospital for days with their hands cuffed to the bed, except for when they go to the toilet. This is an infringement of human rights which should not be tolerated at all.

Those hospitals which are allowing Border Force and SERCO to dictate protocols of force and control within the hospital need to rethink their compliance with regard to human rights.

Recently, a man with only one, damaged, kidney was taken to a specialist outpatient clinic. He was asked to provide a urine sample but was unable to do so because he was handcuffed and guards refused to undo these. On another occasion, a man had his hand x-rayed while he was in handcuffs. These are not dangerous or deranged people – just ordinary people needing medical care. They already have two or three or four guards standing over them. To add restraints is an insult.

These people are seeking asylum and have never been charged with any crime. Treating them as if they were dangerous criminals is cruel and denies them dignity and respect. The use of excessive force is recent and directly linked to the Border Force takeover. Now they are asking for even more powers.

Next week in the Senate, please tell the senators to vote no to more force.

[Pamela Curr is the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s detention rights advocate.]