Grace and her daughter faced repatriation. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
When Grace (Grace,) broke up with her daughter's biological father and ended a battered relationship, she thought she had finally met the right person and thought the friendly man would give her a fresh start. A chance to leave Manila's slums.
Don't want her lover to come to Australia, behavior changes, she was beaten and sexual abuse, and always control her.
In Australia's Filipino community, "sexual abuse" is a taboo topic. But when Grace's new partner began to treat her 10-year-old daughter, flirt, the 50-year-old bookkeeper had to act. "what's more, he treats it as sex slave. Once I found him trying to flirt with my daughter, and I decided to leave him. "
After Lu Ke (Luke Batty) was beaten to death by his father, domestic violence has attracted more and more attention in Victoria.
Some temporary visa holders have no access to help
Because of loopholes in immigration laws, however, abusers born abroad struggle to survive. Of the 36 women granted temporary spouse visas each year, 9112 are considered victims of domestic violence, according to a (Monash University) report from Monash University.
But there is hope for immigrant women who want to get rid of their guarantors. Eligible spouse visa holders will be granted permanent residency if they prove that they have been subjected to domestic violence by their guarantors.
"but for other women on temporary visas, the situation is different," said Luba Tanevski of (inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence), the multicultural centre against domestic violence in InTouch.
They may hold temporary work visas, business visas or student visas. Unfortunately, they are not qualified. "
She said: "the services are very difficult to provide support to visitors, they do not receive subsidies, they do not meet any housing conditions. Basically, they have no way back. "
It is understood that Grace came to Australia with a fiancee visa, but her ex-husband did not submit the corresponding documents to enable her to stay in Australia legally.
At present, she and her daughter have been forced to move from a women's asylum centre and face repatriation after they were identified.