Women’s health The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women has reported that, globally, many places of detention offer inadequate health care to women or offer services which are not comparable to those offered to men. The Special Rapporteur has warned that: The consequence of a failure to consider women’s specific health needs means ignoring reproductive health needs and medical conditions stemming from a history of poverty, malnutrition, physical or sexual abuse, drug use, or inadequate medical care.163 Most women told the Commission that they had experienced positive engagement with IHMS staff and were generally able to access the health services they required while in immigration detention. One woman at BRP said, ‘[I] can’t complain about health — when you [make a] request you get it straight away. Health [is the] best part about this place’. Another woman at VIDC said, ‘[I] see a doctor and nurse regularly. [The] medical staff are good’. Some women told the Commission about positive experiences in relation to addressing specific women’s health concerns. One woman for example said, ‘[I] was able to have a pap smear and transfer to hospital for treatment after it showed some issues’. Another woman said, ‘last time I got abdominal pain due to irregular period they gave me treatment and medicine, which was good’. A few women, however, told the Commission about negative experiences in addressing their women’s health concerns. For example, one woman told the Commission she had a pap smear that returned an abnormal result and after a long delay in scheduling a gynaecologist appointment, had to have another pap smear and biopsy, four months later. Mental health and trauma counselling IHMS staff told the Commission that mental health and trauma was the most prevalent concern among the women in immigration detention. According to information provided by the Department through Senate Estimates, between 1 February 2023 and 31 January 2024, 2,064 people (both men and women) in immigration detention had engaged a mental health professional and 321 had engaged external torture and trauma services.164 Many women told the Commission that, while they felt the delivery of and access to mental health and torture and trauma services was adequate, the longer they were detained, the less effective those services were and the more likely they were to disengage with them. One woman at BRP stated, ‘mental health staff do what they can but [there is] not much they can do for you while you’re in this situation’. Another woman at VIDC stated, ‘I was seeing a psychologist for a while and he’s very good. But it comes to a point where it’s like what for? Why am I engaging in these services? Why am I doing all this? I’m still here, it feels pointless sometimes. [There is] still no end date, time frame, clear path or plan other than to just sit and wait’. A woman at PIDC also stated, ‘[there is] good support but nothing will deal with the depression of this place’. Access to female medical health professionals The Bangkok Rules note at Rule 10(2) that ‘[i]f a woman prisoner requests that she be examined or treated by a woman physician or nurse, a woman physician or nurse shall be made available, to the extent possible, except for situations requiring urgent medical intervention. If a male medical practitioner undertakes the examination contrary to the wishes of the woman prisoner, a woman staff member shall be present during the examination’.165 The Commission’s Human rights standards for immigration detention also state that ‘[d]etainees can request medical consultations with doctors of the same gender as themselves, and this will be provided whenever possible’.166 The UN SPT have observed that ‘[w]omen’s right to health is a critical issue in places of deprivation of liberty, particularly in mixed facilities, because there are often no female health professionals available to provide adequate care and follow-up’.167 Issues and concerns impacting women across the detention network 39