Sex Trafficking in Australia

KIM NGUYEN

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is the second largest form of organised crime in the world. It is essentially the“buying and selling of human beings”. The U.N estimates that about 2.5 million people from 127 countries are trafficked around the world, every year. Nearly every country is a source, transit or destination (or combination of these three) for trafficked victims.

Human trafficking occurs in a various industries including: agriculture, hospitality, and sweatshops However, about 80% of  human trafficking cases reported are related to sex slavery and sexual exploitation. This is referred to as “sex trafficking”.

What is sex trafficking?
-Elements of Sex Trafficking:

1. The acts: Recruiting, transporting, and transferring people
2. Means: Threatening or using force, coercing people, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim;

Purpose: Prostituting others, sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, or slavery.

Australia’s role in sex trafficking:                                                                        

We may think that a first-world country like Australia wouldn’t be home to sex trafficking.. But there are traces of this global injustice within our borders. While Australia doesn’t necessarily actively participate, it is still a destination country for people being trafficked.

Between 1000-2000 girls and women are trafficked from countries in South-East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, China) and even Eastern Europe to undertake commercial prostitution in Australia, in brothels, sex shows and online pornography. Often the girls/women have been  cruelly deceived by their recruiting work agencies. They arrive in Australia with the hope of a starting a better life, being able to learn English as a student, working in a restaurant, or at least, earning a high salary in the sex industry.

While some women agree to work in this industry, the majority of them are unaware of the nature and conditions of their work and are forced into prostitution in order to pay off “debts” (airfares, visas)  to the traffickers, which can range from $18,000 – $50,000. They are bought and sold like cattle at auctions and subjected to physical and sexual exploitation by their employers, including rape, torture, starvation, threats of death/harm, if they attempt to seek assistance or to escape. Some girls as young as fourteen and work up to 15 hrs a day, 7 days a week, servicing up to ten men per shift, even while they’re ill.
In just the first two months, a girl would have serviced, on average, 400 men.

A Thai woman who was recently rescued from a brothel in St Kilda explained that “[w]hat happened to us was a nightmare, we worked from 11am to 4am and only slept 3-4 hours a night. They treated us like animals. We were sexually abused, we were dragged, we were hit. Some of us were given drugs so we could work all the time. The traffickers threatened us, we were scared, they could hurt us and our families.”

Why it’s happening:

-Lack of accountability:
There are still dozens of unlicensed and unidentified brothels operating around Melbourne, including Richmond and St Kilda as well around Australia that are involved in sex trafficking.  In some cases, residents living near those venues are aware that there are women are being abused. However, many of them choose not report this to the police because they don’t want to be involved and they fear reprisals.

-Lack of prosecution:
Since 2004, the Australian Federal Police have undertaken 112 investigations and have charged 29 people for sex trafficking. Of these, 15 of the cases are still being heard in the courts, whereas in the other 14 cases, there were mistrials and charges were dropped due to “insufficient evidence.” This means the perpetrators have not only escaped punishment for their crimes, but they are allowed back into our communities to continue trafficking and exploiting women.

-Lack of protection:
According to a study conducted by the University of Sydney, although there is a support program for trafficked women, the services are poorly funded, uncoordinated and lacking in numerous resources. Under this program, all victims are only granted protection for 45 days. From then on, they have to cooperate with the police to prosecute the traffickers in order to be eligible for support services. Basically, if a woman is considered not a reliable witness by the police, then no government help is provided at all. Some are deported back to their country, where they face the likelihood of being ostracised by their families and village communities as well as being exploited and re-trafficked.  Some women are simply left to fend for themselves, They are isolated and alone, barely able to speak English and are dependent on the assistance of NGOS and religious groups.

Why should we care?

Sex-trafficking violates human rights.

The Australian government and the community need to take greater measures to protect these vulnerable women. Women should not be bought and sold like commodities.

Every woman should have the right to feel safe and be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their ethnic background and regardless of the amount of time or their reasons for being in Australia.

Australia has a moral obligation to eradicate this trade of human misery and degradation and to protect victims, in order to address the international problem of trafficking.

Fundamentally, it is our moral obligation as human beings to put an end to this.

Sexual exploitation and slavery is happening in our country, in our communities and in our streets – except the victims are hidden. It is time we made some noise to reach out and find them.

SOURCES:

http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/australia

http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/its-time-to-get-serious-about-sex-trafficking-in-australia-20111012-1lkzi.html

http://www.smh.com.au/national/sex-trafficking-slavery-and-forced-marriage-on-the-rise-in-australia-say-police-20141030-11e62z.html

http://www.antislavery.org.au/resources/fact-sheets/96-fact-sheet-7-australias-legal-response-to-human-trafficking.html

http://campaign.worldvision.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Trafficking-and-sexual-exploitation-fact-sheet.pdf

 

What is Human Trafficking?

GRACE BRITTON

‘World Day Against Trafficking in Persons’ is on the 30th of July, and this means it’s the perfect time to debunk some myths, define some terms and deliver the truth about exactly what human trafficking is.

Human trafficking is a breach of human rights as old as time. Human trafficking is ‘the illegal movement of people, typically for the purposes of forced labour or commercial sexual exploitation.’

Your immediate thoughts after hearing the words ‘illegal movement of people,’ may be of another topical issue in the media- asylum seekers. However, asylum seekers are not really people moving illegally at all, as they are protected by UN treaties- more about this here.

What you may be thinking about is people smuggling. Human trafficking and people smuggling are not the same thing- while people smuggling is the ‘organised, illegal movement of people across borders, usually on a payment for service basis,’ human trafficking is the ‘physical movement of people across and within borders through deceptive means, force or coercion. The people who commit human trafficking offences are often motivated by the continuing exploitation of their victims once they reach their destination country.’

The word ‘trafficking’ itself has been in the media lately, although not specifically related to that of humans. Instead, you may have heard the word in relation the the Bali 9 executions, which of course originally related to the crime of drug trafficking. And herein lies the difference.

Drugs are made, traded, and sold. But the problem of human trafficking is far more sinister. The difference is that humans can be manipulated, exploited, deceived and ultimately, controlled.

It is easy to see why human trafficking exists. While it is possible for all people, of all genders, nationalities and ages to be trafficked, those in vulnerable situations are regularly preyed upon by traffickers. Traffickers may offer these individuals a better life- whether it be the oppressed, those seeking a new place to live, or even young runaways.

These people, seeking a new life, may easily fall for the deception of the traffickers, complying with their plans so as to reach their goal. Of course, the traffickers’ ‘plan’ is to put their victims into forced working conditions, telling them that they must do so in order to repay the service which the traffickers have provided.

This work varies- while one of the most common and well known forms of human trafficking is putting young women into sex work in order to run illegal brothels, those trafficked may also be put into slavery, forced marriage, domestic servitude, and even live organ harvesting.

Perhaps you are now wondering why these people do not simply escape their captors. The truth is, if these people are caught, they may face appalling punishment- they may be beaten, raped, or killed. As well as this, even if they do manage to escape, in many cases traffickers destroy all legal documents, such as passports, belonging to them.

As a result, these people who are trafficked do not exist.

So what’s being done? The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime has been signed by Australia, meaning the government is committed to providing victims with support. However, the difficult nature of prosecuting human trafficking means those committing the crime often avoid serving time.

But you can play a part in stopping the crime too. This year, for Human Trafficking Day:

1. Express your solidarity with victims of human trafficking by taking a photo of your hands forming a heart. Share the photo across social media with the hashtag #IGiveHope. (https://www.unodc.org/endht/)|

2. Educate yourself about the different forms of human trafficking , i.e sex trafficking, forced labour, organ trafficking.

Resources

1. http://acrath.org.au/resources/human-trafficking/forms/
2. http://www.afp.gov.au/policing/human-trafficking

Image credit:

World Day against Trafficking in Persons … July 30!!

The Border Force Protection Act : “Primum Non Nocere – First, Do No Harm”

KAITLYN KRAHE

The Border Force Act is yet another bleak installment in the Australian Government’s dismal treatment of asylum seekers detained in detention centers such as Nauru and Manus Island.

Our country’s most recent history with this issue is one already coloured by international criticism from humans rights bodies such as the United Nations, who have found the Australian Government to be in breach of the UN Convention Against Torture, the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child due to the conditions faced by detained asylum seekers.

Despite this, our government have shown no signs relenting their harsh border protection regime, which as of May 31st 2015, means a total of 3624 asylum seekers in both immigration detention and community detention facilities. And now, the government are punishing people who report harm and abuse.

Perhaps the most horrific aspect of this statistic is that 27% of detained asylum seekers are children. This is especially disturbing in light of the recent Australian Human Rights Commission report ‘The Forgotten Children’. The report has confirmed fears that children are particularly susceptible to the inevitable psychological harm that asylum seekers are experiencing detainment. The report found that children as young as 12 are experiencing significant psychological disturbances and many pose a risk to themselves and others.

These recent changes to Australia’s border protection and immigration policies, as stipulated by the Border Force Act, will mean that any person working directly or indirectly for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection who reports the mental or physical harm of asylum seekers in detention centers can be punished by imprisonment of up to two years.

This new legislation was introduced to the House of Representatives in February. The Act moved through the Senate swiftly, having been met with bipartisan support. In May, the legislation came into force.

The inner workings and conditions of detention facilities are already largely shrouded in secrecy, and the new legislation is designed to further deter whistleblowers and clandestine channels of communication to and from the detention centres. How can the public, the media, international human rights bodies and non-government organisations scrutinise the Australian Government’s treatment of asylum seekers and rally for justice if those with the most valuable knowledge are too scared to say anything?

There is no doubt that the healthcare industry performs an invaluable role in our society. In any aspect of the health sector, a medical professional’s priority is the wellbeing of their patient. It is simply unreasonable for the government to force medical professionals to weigh up the value of their own freedom and professional integrity against their moral and legal obligations to cater to the physical and emotional needs and rights of their patient.

Since the Border Force Act has been implemented, outraged medical professionals across the nation have strongly engaged with the issue and mobilised themselves in remarkable demonstrations of solidarity to protest the new legislation.

Rallies have already been held in New South Wales, Coffs Harbour, Broome, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney under the collective movement title “Doctors against the Border Force Act” and more are sure to ensue. With many opting to cover their mouths at the rallies in a poignant and symbolically silent protest, it is clear that a significant proportion of Australia’s health care professionals are not yet ready to be silenced.

 

Terms

Primum non nocere is a Latin phrase that means “first, do no harm”. This phrase is taught to all healthcare students as a guiding ethical principle and reminder that their patient’s well-being is always the priority.

 

References

1. “Australia Border Force Bill 2015”
2015.15 July.2015

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r5408

 

1. “UN finds Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers violates the convention against torture” 2015. 15 July. 2015 http://hrlc.org.au/un-finds-australias-treatment-of-asylum-seekers-violates-the-convention-against-torture/

 

1. “Children in detention: Is Australia breaching international law?.” 2014. 15 July. 2015 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-31/children-in-detention-is-australia-breaching-international-law/5344022

 

1. “Immigration Detention Statistics” 2015. 15 July. 2015

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/immigration-detention-statistics

 

1. “A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention” 2015. 15 July 2015

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/last-resort-national-inquiry-children-immigration-detention/9-mental-health-children

 

1. “Australia’s reputation for child protection has crumbled with the Border Force Act” 2015. 15 July 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/global-reputation-for-child-protection-has-crumbled-with-the-border-force-act-20150707-gi6xvh.html#ixzz3fxprFsla

 

1. “Coff’s medical staff rally against the Border Force Act”. 2015. 15 July 2015

http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/coffs-medical-staff-rally-against-border-force-act/2704951/

 

1. “Medical professionals protest against Border Force Act”. 2015. 15 July 2015

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/07/11/medical-professionals-protest-against-border-force-act

Image Credit: Luis Ascui

NAIDOC is only the beginning…

GENEVIEVE HUGHES

With NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week almost over and the issue of indigenous constitutional recognition in the minds of parliamentarians, now is a good time to re-examine some of the cultural and historical achievements of Australia’s indigenous peoples.

The theme for NAIDOC week 2015 is Uluru – an iconic and sacred Australian site. 2015 marks the 30^th anniversary since Uluru was given back to the traditional owners of the land. Not only a popular tourist icon, Uluru, as a sacred site can be held as a symbol of the timeless connection between Aboriginals and the land of Australia.

On July 6^th, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader met with around forty of Australia’s most influential indigenous representatives to discuss a possible referendum that will, if successful, alter the preamble of Australia’s constitution to recognise indigenous Australians as the original custodians of the land. The change is intended to build mutual trust between Aboriginals and other Australians, however the Prime Minister has stated that the referendum will not be finalised until July 2016. With apparent bipartisan support, hopefully, the referendum will be successful.

Arguments that Indigenous recognition in the constitution is merely symbolic and will not bring about any practical benefits to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are not unmerited: 200 years of distrust and discrimination cannot be salvaged solely with a non-discrimination clause. However, indigenous recognition is, at the very least, a step in the right direction.

Prominent indigenous activist, Noel Pearson has identified four hurdles in the pursuit of constitutional recognition: “The first hurdle is the Prime Minister and what he’s prepared to run with, secondly the party room, thirdly the Parliament … and the fourth hurdle is the people. In my view, the people are the lowest hurdle, they are a profoundly difficult hurdle to overcome and get onside.” Social justice commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Mick Gooda has expressed concerns that indigenous recognition will never be realised.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has faced criticism regarding this issue; his credibility has been challenged after his statement that Aborigines living in remote, isolated communities have exercised a “lifestyle choice”. Such a fundamental lack of sensitivity regarding the debilitating and lasting difficulties of cultural assimilation and isolation, is contradictory to the Prime Minister’s claim that he is “prepared to sweat blood” in order for this amendment to made as quickly as possible.

For the Australian people, NAIDOC week remains an important tool in breaking down barriers between Indigenous culture and Australian culture. In March 2015, the Guardian published a study which indicated 73% support for constitutional recognition, and 82% support for the removal of clauses that discriminate on the basis of race. Keeping indigenous cultural achievement and history in the public consciousness will be integral in the passing of this referendum.

 

 

 

 

 

‘No’ to Death Penalty but ‘Yes’ to Inhumane Treatment of Asylum Seekers? Make Up Your Mind Australia!

CELIA DOWLING

IN CASE you have been living under a rock or simply hiding from the news these past couple of weeks, here is a quick run-down on what is now known as ‘The Bali 9 Execution’.

It was just two weeks ago when two Australian citizens faced the firing squad under a state-sanctioned execution, having been convicted ten years ago of organising the smuggling of heroin from Bali to Australia. In the lead-up to Wednesday April 29, Julie Bishop and multiple human rights activists pushed for the clemency of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran through appealing to Indonesia’s humanitarian responsibilities and presenting the significant rehabilitation of the two. Each denounced the Indonesian government for their use of capital punishment, saying that it broke international law. However, their efforts came to no avail.

Now, the Abbott government is being encouraged to take action on its objection to the death penalty. And it certainly looks like they shall, with the PM withdrawing the Australian ambassador to Indonesia after Julie Bishop stated “there will be have to be consequences” directed at the Indonesian government.

HOWEVER, before jumping on the band wagon with the rest of the world to fight for the upholding of human dignity, we must stop and analyse what grounds AUSTRALIA has for calling out the faults of other countries.

Let’s face it, we don’t have the greatest track record when it comes to the treatment of humans.

In the late 1700s, European settlers used disease, massacre and kidnapping to shrink the Indigenous population in Australia by 90%. In the mid 1800s, wealthy citizens and governors condemned the labour force by implementing severe and exclusive gold mining taxes, culminating in fatal battle of the Eureka Stockade. In the early to mid 1900s, the Immigration Restriction Act (otherwise known as the White Australia Policy) impeded certain European and in particular Asian immigrants from entering into the Australian community.

And now, Australia’s asylum seeker policies are being challenged internationally through their breaching of multiple human rights conventions.

It is a tad awkward.

It is a tad awkward that Australian human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson has called for the United Nations (UN) to intervene in Indonesia’s practice of the death penalty, when the same UN has recently expressed its concern to the Australian government on the indefinite and inhuman sentencing of asylum seekers to detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. It is a tad awkward that post-executions, the government announced that “[w]e do deplore what’s been done and this cannot be simply business as usual”, when Australia’s own routine of locking away children and subjecting them to torture is in itself deplorable. It is a tad awkward that Tony Abbott replied to the accusations of breaching the UN Convention Against Torture saying “I really think Australians are sick of being lectured to by the United Nations,” despite clearly encouraging the UN’s distaste of Indonesia’s death penalty.

Just a tad awkward, I say, in a tone saturated with sarcasm.

In order to better visualise how Australia’s claim against the death penalty is thwarted by hypocrisy, let’s compare notes on how Indonesia’s capital punishment breaches differ from those of Australia’s asylum seeker policies.

 

	INDONESIA ~ capital punishment	AUSTRALIA ~ asylum seeker policy
Breach of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which both countries are signatories.	The initial covenant stated that capital punishment should only be used for “the most serious crimes, that is, those involving intentional killing, and only after a fair trial.” Not drug trafficking.	Arbitrary detention is prohibited. Australia’s “turn back” policy and the mandatory yet often indefinite onshore/offshore detention of asylum seekers are in violation of these principles.
Breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to which both countries are signatories.	–	As of February 2014, there were 929 children held in onshore and offshore detention centres as complying with Australian law, for time periods averaging over 8 months. This is despite that Article 37 of the convention says that “no child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily… The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.”
Breach of the UN Convention Against Torture to which both countries are signatories.	After a prolonged period of imprisonment on death row, it is improper to carry out execution as “the constant alternation of hope with despair [amounts] to mental torture, and [is] contrary to the convention on torture.”	“Torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment is prohibited.” However asylum seekers held in detention centres particularly on Manus Island and Nauru are subject to harsh conditions and frequent outbreaks of violence. UN Committee says in a report that “the combination of … harsh conditions, the protracted periods of closed detention and uncertainty about the future reportedly creates serious physical and mental pain and suffering.”
Amnesty International’s response.	They do not approve of the executions, calling them “cruel, senseless and abhorrent”.	They are encouraging a “call on the Australian Government to release all children from immigration detention,” appalled by the physical and psychological damage done to children.
Human Rights Commission report ‘The Forgotten Children’ conducted by Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs	–	Children as young as 12 observe high levels of violence, partake in self-harming and are found to be experiencing substantial issues regarding mental health.
Other responses.	“The international community must renew its resolve to rid the world of this barbaric practice.”Australian opposition leader Bill Shorten and shadow foreign minister Tanya Plibersek in their released statement, 2015 post-executions. “Investigations by human rights groups have found that individuals sentenced to death have been tortured and forced to sign police investigation reports. Many did and do not have lawyers, in particular after arrest and during interrogation,” Researcher Papang Hidayat in a global report on capital punishment, 2015.	“Its own human rights track record is increasingly tarnished by a willingness to violate human rights for domestic political gain.” The Human Rights Law Centre, June 201 “The minister’s powers are outside the ‘rule of law’, they are beyond appeal. He has the powers of a tyrant… It presents a destruction of democratic process.” Former Australian PM Malcolm Fraser, 2014. “Claims are not processed in a fair, transparent, or expedient manner, with significant cost to detainees.” Human Rights Watch, 2015.

 

Clearly, each government perceives a different issue to be a threat to the nation’s security, with or without good reason. For Australia, it’s the trickle of immigrants who flee persecution and can only afford the services of leaky boats. And for Indonesia, it’s drug traffickers. Unfortunately, due to instilled fear and systematic tradition, these habits of disrespecting the dignity of human life are so ingrained into political proceedings, making them difficult to suddenly abolish.

This comparison gives us an insight into the complexity of diplomacy and the unfortunately multiple ways by which governments violate basic human rights to maintain control and public interest.

What is most important to understand is that the legitimacy of any humanitarian claim made by Australia is doomed to be heavily doubted until we start rolling up our sleeves and correcting our own faults. How is any international committee or foreign government supposed to thoroughly consider our objection to an issue such as capital punishment, when we condemn to live in discomfort helpless people yearning for security?

 

Terms and definitions:

Bali 9: 9 Australians with heroin strapped to their bodies were caught boarding an Australia-bound flight in Indonesian customs in Bali, October 23, 2004.

State-sanctioned: approved of by the government of an organised political nation.

Julie Bishop: Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs; deputy of the Liberal Party.

Clemency: mercy; pardon.

Humanitarian: concerned with human rights, human welfare.

Rehabilitation: the restoration of previous privileges and rights of a person, usually after spending time in prison.

Capital punishment: punishment for a crime by death.

Coalition: a temporary alliance of political parties (for example, Liberal and Labour) formed through combined action.

Tony Abbott: Australia’s Prime Minister, leader of the Liberal Party.

Ambassador: someone sent by a nation or territory to represent them in another country.

Convention: an agreement between states, similar to a treaty, on a specific issue.

Barrister: a type of lawyer, often an advocate for common law and often in the higher courts

United Nations (UN): International Human Rights Council.

Signatory: a party (especially a state) that has signed an agreement, obliging them to uphold the responsibilities of the said agreement.

Protocol: a procedure or system of rules agreed upon to govern affairs or action

Arbitrarily: basing on random choice or spontaneity as opposed to reason.

Diplomacy: managing international relations.

 

Resources 17.05.2015

___________________________________________________________________________

1. Indonesia’s Death Penalty Or Australia’s Asylum Policy.” 17 May. 2015 <http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexlee/indonesias-death-penalty-or-australias-asylum-policy>
2.  “Hard line on refugees undermines principled opposition to …” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://theconversation.com/hard-line-on-refugees-undermines-principled-opposition-to-execution-40953>
3. “Geoffrey Robertson calls on Australian government to use …” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/geoffrey-robertson-calls-on-australian-government-to-use-international-law-to-save-andrew-chan-and-myuran-sukumaran-20150428-1mvgxe.html>
4.  “UN finds Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers violates the …” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://hrlc.org.au/un-finds-australias-treatment-of-asylum-seekers-violates-the-convention-against-torture/>
5. “The story of the Bali Nine: How two Australians … – Mashable.” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://mashable.com/2015/04/28/indonesia-bali-nine-australians/>
6.”Bali 9 duo’s execution ‘will have consequences’ says … – ABC.” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4225605.htm>
7. “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” 2013. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx>
8. “Act now: Speak up for kids in detention – Amnesty …” 2015. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/36905/>
9.  “From The United Nations | Death Penalty Information Center.” 2008. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/united-nations>
10.   “Children in detention: Is Australia breaching international law?.” 2014. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-31/children-in-detention-is-australia-breaching-international-law/5344022>
11. “Australia’s detention of refugees is forbidden by …” 2014. 17 May. 2015 <http://www.smh.com.au/national/australias-detention-of-refugees-is-forbidden-by-international-law-un-committee-against-torture-20141128-11wjas.html>

Interview with Dan Poole

Source: http://ideashoist.com.au/dan-poole-founder-crepes-change/

Dan Poole is the founder of  Crêpes for Change: an emerging social enterprise with a mission to eliminate youth homelessness in Australia. CFC will be Australia’s first non-profit crêpe van to roam Victoria’s streets, markets and festivals. With 100% of the proceeds directed towards the cause, CFC is about more than just selling crêpes from a van. Dan plans to implement a program to empower underprivileged young Australians with skills to find employment through providing barista and hospitality training.

CFC has raised over $11,000 and has received public endorsement from renowned figures such as Adam Bandt (Deputy Leader of the Australian  Greens), Mark Dreyfus (QC, MP) and community organisations such as  Oaktree.

Check out our interview with Dan and get behind this awesome initiative by donating to his crowdfunding campaign:  https://chuffed.org/project/crepesforchange

The Rich Are Becoming the Rich: Education & Equality

GENEVIEVE HUGHES

I remember how stressful it was, Year Twelve, university applications, imagining over and over again what would happen, what would I do with my life if I didn’t get the right marks for my course?
I could apply for another course.
I could defer for a year.
I could get a job, move out, and lead a perfectly happy life – because that is my choice.
But what about the people who didn’t choose to miss out on a tertiary education?

 The choice of going to University

University is an opportunity that should be available to everyone, regardless of whether one chooses to attend. The case for attending university has never been stronger; from sociology to biomechanics, fine arts and literature to medicine and engineering, you can study almost anything at university. Add this with the promise of new friends and travelling opportunities, many if not most young people want to attend. Ultimately, university can help a young person provide a better life for themselves and their family members.

The Finances
University tuitions have also never been more expensive. This can hit families of lower socio-economic backgrounds very hard, forcing them to make the decision to refute tertiary education for their children. Even with scholarships provided for students from marginalised backgrounds, average working class families struggle to finance tertiary educations.

At the University of Western Australia, a six-year medicine degree costs approximately $60,000 dollars and a five year law degree costs $51,000.
Even with HECS-HELP in place, graduates spend years paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in university fees and from 2016, HECS-HELP will only be available to domestic students.

This will leave many international students, unable to attend university in Australia, and many domestic students choosing their undergraduate course based on tuition costs.

Where is the inequality?

Finances are not the only issue here.
The inequalities between high schools should also be considered: many private schools are funded not only by religious institutions but by federal and state governments. Parents of students attending private schools also pay tuitions that can range up to $22,000 a year, per student.

The problem exists here: teachers are paid more in private schools, therefore many teachers choose to work in private institutions, leaving students in government schools disadvantaged and public school teachers grossly underpaid.

This leaves the educational experiences of young people wholly unequal during high school, thus affecting their acceptance into university.

The problem with inequality in education

There are a number of factors that influence a student’s performance in exams, the most essential being the effort a student puts in to achieve good marks.

But what about the things we don’t like to talk about?

Of the fifty highest-ranking schools in Victoria – 39 are privately funded. Of these, 35 are also funded by religious institutions.

Many people will argue that a student’s performance in exams depends entirely on them – this is not the case.

With such discernable financial inequalities between independent schools and government schools, it does not seem so surprising that a student’s performance at school, and subsequently their tertiary opportunities are primarily determined by their post-code, and the level of education their parents received.

In the United States, the College Board/Next America Poll found that students were more likely to attend university if their parents had attended university.

This “intergenerational transmission of class” is true of Australia also.

On a global scale

Inequality in education is an international issue.
Education is the tool for socio-economic mobility; therefore it is important that educational experiences, at the very least, are equal for all students. In an interview with Jon Stewart, Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai stated that education teaches equality “because students are provided the same benches, they sit equally”.

If Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Malala Yousafzai believes that students should sit equally – then we need to ensure that they do.

Interview with Shea Spierings (UN Youth Representative 2015)

Shea Spierings is an idealist and youth advocate who is passionate about social justice. He has undertaken roles as a national presenter with AIME, and as a Desk Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This engagement is driven by his firm belief in the courage and value of young people, and their ability to influence and change the world in which they live. He is determined to represent the diverse interests, circumstances, and ideas of today’s young Australians and youth communities, remote and urban alike.

                                                About Shea

Where are you from originally? What is your cultural background?

Well, I live in Brisbane at the moment. I was actually brought up in Rockhampton, central queensland and I grew up there … and then I spent my teenage years on the Sunshine Coast. My cultural background is Aboriginal and Dutch….My grandparents on my mother’s side – migrated from the Netherlands after the second world war and they were placed in Rockhampton.My father’s family – our nation is Gangulu is from central Queensland.

                                  UN Youth Representation

What motivated you to apply for the role of the 2015 UN Youth Representative?

I’d never actually met a UN Youth Rep before…. The role has a lot of opportunities to go out there and meet people and engage with people, which I love doing, but it also has an opportunity to give a voice to the voiceless, or to the people who may not have previously had a voice but can have one. I personally just believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be heard, and if I can do that, then that’s a fantastic thing, and I think that in a way I wanted to get the role.

A lot of youth don’t necessarily feel that anyone will listen to them, or that someone will take their message to the broader community or that they could actually be a part of something bigger and therefore they sort of isolate themselves. But if I can prevent that and show people that that’s not necessarily the case… that’s just a real honour. And that’s why I want to do this role – for the opportunity to show people that they can actually connect, or make sure that people are actually connecting, I think would be really cool.

What excites you the most about being this year’s UN Youth Rep?

Honestly, it’s pretty simple: for me it’s just about getting out there and meeting people – I’m really excited about that. I’ve previously worked in mentoring and presenting – there’s something really invigorating about it – coming back from talking to a community of young people. Because you see the hopes and dreams that they have, and you think that’s really exciting, and you think ‘I can’t wait ‘til they actually put that into play and get that running because that’s gonna change the world’ and I just find that really, really exciting. And there’s gonna be other things of course –

going to New York’s going to be really cool, I’ve never actually been there before. And that’s just an upside of things – the fact that I get to go around and meet people from really diverse backgrounds and travel the country – I think that’s pretty amazing.

                                            The year ahead

What are the goals you have set out to achieve as the UN Youth Rep?

Obviously engagement is really important. A part of my role is measuring my levels of engagement. So, I’m hoping to get some pretty high levels of engagement this year, to successfully engage with people via social media and face-to-face. And I’m hoping to get the numbers into the tens of thousands. This year we’re actually going to do a 120 day roadtrip around the country, which is something that hasn’t been done before, because this’ll allow me to engage with alot more people and visit smaller rural communities. So I’m hoping to really take the engagement levels through the roof this year, spread sustainable change and processes, and just explain to people that they can be the change they want to see in the world, and that they’re better off having a go and there’s no need to wait for anything to go about making that change.

Last year, Laura John’s theme/tagline was “The Great Perhaps”. Do you have a theme for this year? If so, what is it?

I’m still thinking about it, but something I’m particularly interested at the moment is this idea of global citizenship. I think it’s a really interesting…because I’m curious to see how people feel about the idea of sharing a planet…. If we can actually discuss the idea of mobilizing to create social change, not just in our small communities but also to link up with some bigger, broader communities I think that’s really interesting, I think it’s a discussion young people can have now. We’ve got plenty of opportunities to be in contact with people all around the world so why not have it? Because having contact with someone on the other side of the world may actually allow you to better your own community and I think that’s something young people need to be aware of.

                            Issues facing young Australians

What causes/issues are you most passionate about? Why?

Some of the big issues are gonna be employment, education, these sorts of things. For me, the issue that we’re should be trying to address is why don’t certain groups in the youth community have access to opportunities, a good example would be the remote Indigenous communities where we see there is not really much to do. There are a few bridges that need to be built in quite a few areas and I don’t really see any current policies going that way at the moment. We need to think critically about how to address these issues because maybe these ideas about creating economic growth in this particular area is not actually going to solve the problem, maybe it wont necessarily address the drug abuse or some of the broader systemic issues that are in that particular community because these issues stem far deeper and go further back and they can’t be addressed superficially.

What is your response when you hear people describing our generation as being apathetic, lazy, narcissistic and ignorant?

To me, it’s a really pressing issue-the older generation being pessimistic about the younger generation. Because I think we see it playing out in all levels of the great Australian parity. Youth don’t really fit in in a lot of places; we’re not really accounted for when it comes to the big issues, even though youth issues are very much a part of it and often inform a part of the bigger issues.

We need to think about the way we actually treat our youth because what the youth go on to become, can either be good or bad for everyone else and for even themselves – it’s about everyone. I’m really thoroughly against this pessimism we see and hear in society. I don’t even like when people say things like ‘oh there’s hope for humanity’ when people say something nice or they see a nice article, because as far as I’m concerned there are amazing beautiful things going on all the time, and if they’re not seeing them it’s because they’re not looking for them. It’s not because they’re not happening and I find that ignorance really quite offensive because they’ll carry that ignorance and they’ll use that against people for no reason. And I think that’ll only cause more problems.

What message or advice would you like to give to young people wanting to create social change?

When I go and talk to people the thing I like to sort of start of with is asking ‘if you could say anything to the world, and if the whole world was listening and you had one shot, one chance… to you what actually matters?’ and it’s about trying to get people to think about what actually matters to them…

I think it’s as simple as trying and I’ve done it plenty of times myself – you sort of start off with this really big dream in your head and you think ‘this’ll be great’ and now I’ve just got to get the rest of the world to listen to me now, and then you quickly realize that the world’s probably not going to listen to you just yet. So you’ve gotta start off doing something a bit smaller and you need to really pace yourself sometimes, and that can be really quite difficult. So it’s about understanding that maybe you’ve gotta take your time to achieve what you want to achieve, because as fantastic as your idea is you have to convince everyone else that it’s important as well.

I think young people need to be resilient in that sense, you know we need to be aware that we need to keep trying, and just go another way, try a different path. But don’t even stop working on it and at the same time – I mean your ultimate, where you’re gonna end up in life is never very clear – you know some people have these set plans, and they often don’t go that way anyway. But it’s a matter of just trying, and just having a go at things, and you learn things as you go and you’ll change your mind as you go. Sometimes young people have to be resilient and have to be aware that- there’s never a good time to give up – there’s never an opportunity to do that really. And it shouldn’t be about that, and sometimes it’s also about surrounding yourself with the right people and creating an environment that you need to actually be the person you want to be.

 

 

 

 

If I was a boy, I wouldn’t lose 3,267 hours getting ready.

Yes, finally done! I silently congratulated myself after finishing the second coat of volumising mascara on the lashes of my left eye. However, a second glance in the mirror suggested otherwise, one eye dramatically out sized the other and there were smudges on both lids as a result of an unsteady, inexperienced hand. My face resembled a hybrid between a try-hard teenaged goth and drunken hooker and…..there wasn’t even a drop of alcohol in my body yet. The application of make-up was a fine art, requiring precision, patience and persistence. Traits which I already struggled to exercise in other areas of life, let alone for the sake of being perceived as a female.

I sighed and wiped away half an hour’s worth of eye-make up, leaving dark traces. Au naturale it is then..

“Honey, are you read yet?” A male voice resounded from downstairs, dripping with impatience.

After fumbling around with the buckles, I quickly strapped on my stilettos…. only to be repulsed by the discovery of a fuzzy layer of stubble that had sprouted on my legs overnight. My skimpy dress was by no means an adequate covering to conceal the unsightly aftermath of nature’s counter-attack against our mass indoctrination into aesthetics.

Alright, let’s do a quick shave. No time to wax or even to moisturise, just please, go, go, go away! Ah shit, razor burn, now it looks like I’ve been by stung by a swarm of mozzies after running straight into a bush of thorns.

Being a girl sucks…..sometimes.

Apart from the exciting and sometimes overwhelming prospect that we have vast range of products and tools at our disposal that enable us to engage in our activities of being “a female”; when we pluck, trim, conceal and slightly mutilate the natural state of our bodies… Is it in order to adhere to society’s prescribed standard of “normality”? Or are we developing an appreciation of our individual self through preconceived notions of contemporary beauty? Perhaps..it is a bit of both.

In a world that largely remains heteronormative, the constant onslaught of media and cultural messages continues to impact upon our physical appearance and thus; for us females, it can be difficult to determine what exactly constitutes as “natural, feminine beauty”.

Is it having sun kissed skin, sparkling white teeth and a long, lustrous mane to signify vitality and good health? Or is it having a polished appearance and being clear, smooth and hairless in all the right places that illustrates professionalism and impeccable hygiene?

As adeptly quoted by make up master, Calvin Klein, “The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural.” This insinuates that for those who aren’t genetically blessed with unblemished skin, high cheekbones, long, thick eyelashes that curl upwards and wide, doe-like eyes; it is an expectation that one engages in physical modification procedures as such, in order to be perceived as being “normal” in our patriarchal society.

There have been innumerable occasions where women who have undertaken everything they’re “supposed to do” to maintain their appearances are still subjected to maltreatment.  They are objectified, harassed, discriminated against, exploited, preyed upon in the same way as women who decide to forsake these practices.

We are not forced to apply make-up or to shave but at the same time, it is hard to disregard the social stigma around those who don’t fit the mould of society’s version of “femininity.” Those who don’t accentuate their facial features to resemble doll-like, alluring portraits (in some form or another) and those who are “hairy” in the “wrong places”. We’re not flawless, plastic dolls and we know that. But even the emerging feminist in me can’t deny that is actually fun to dress up and parade around in high heels…sometimes. Contradictory much?

At the end of the day, we aspire to live a in world that progresses beyond the codes of gender binarism. A world where we have options and are able to determine our definition of “natural, true beauty” according to our own terms; without appearing to be revolutionaries or succumbing to societal standards of “femininity” and “aesthetics.” A world where girls can just be themselves and look however they want without being labelled as “tomboys” or even worst, degrading terms.

In the words of one of our kooky and original feminist, Cyndi Lauper, “Girls just wanna have fun….

Image source: http://www.someecards.com/encouragement-cards/women-beauty-makeup-friends-funny-ecard

The case for changing the date

ELEANOR SCOTT

What does Australia Day celebrate?

Australia Day commemorates the 26th January, 1788, when Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet arrived and the colonization of New South Wales began.

What does it really celebrate?

We don’t tend to really think about what it is we’re celebrating. And when we do our perception is clouded and the historical narrative is incomplete. This day in history began the turmoil and the displacement of Indigenous Australians: Invasion Day. From this day onward the British invaders would begin a wave of genocide and crimes against humanity (as defined by the UN) against the Indigenous Australians, and introduce fatal new diseases. It is estimated in the first century of British settlement alone, the Indigenous population dropped from 1 million to just 100,000 people.

Why should we care?

Of course not everyone is going to be open to throwing away a day of patriotism (and a public holiday!). And yes, for the most part, it’s definitely possible to have a healthy celebration of patriotism.

Except that it’s extremely insensitive to commemorate the day that destroyed tens of thousands of years of Indigenous culture and history, and is the reason for the high incarceration rates and low life expectancy of today.

How would you like it if a country of millions were celebrating the arrival of people who killed your family a couple of centuries ago, and seriously affected your life as it is today? How would you like it if the day that you mourned suffering, trauma, death and destruction, was celebrated by other people with booze, flag-waving, and song?

Why we should change it.

If we want to be a country that embraces diversity like we think we do, then let’s change the date.

• Firstly, it will mark a significant turning point to Reconciliation and social harmony. It will act as a symbolic apology that, by recognising the deep injustice of our past and how it affects Indigenous Australians today, can bring us closer to reconciliation.
  • → Australians will learn to understand the depth of suffering they endured
  • → It will prompt further reform towards recognition and improving the lives they live today – both institutional and social.
  • → It will eventually (hopefully!) culminate in a national celebration we can all take part in – which includes, and doesn’t marginalize, the First Australians
• Secondly, it will remove the absolute insensitivity of the celebration. Australia Day as it is now is just a painful reminder to Indigenous Australians of the trauma and suffering they and their families have endured for centuries now.
• Thirdly, the change in date can also be good for multicultural Australia. Celebrating the day of British settlement entrenches the idea of the ‘Australian Identity’ – which is largely seen to mean ‘Aussies’  – white Australians with fair complexions. By changing it we can look to ways in which to celebrate contemporary Australia – which includes the whopping 60% who aren’t of Anglo-Celtic descent!. And yeah, there are of course many non-Anglo Australians who happily take part in Australia Day. But there are also many who don’t. And the change could mean greater social inclusion, harmony, and eventually, true national union.

Changing the date of Australia Day would be a hugely significant achievement. There are definitely some options available – Federation Day, the 9 May 1901 first opening of Federal Parliament, the 27 May passing of the 1967 referendum, and even, who knows, the day we become a Republic? And look, to be honest, I don’t have a strong opinion on when the new date should be – that’s many people’s dilemma. But changing it is too important – we should have a national discussion on a better, more relevant day on which to celebrate Australia.

Sources

https://sites.google.com/site/aboriginalgenocide/

http://treatyrepublic.net/content/rascist-australia-genocidal-atrocities-overview

http://www.australiaday.org.au/australia-day/history/australia-day-26-january-a-day-for-all-australians/

Image:

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