Centre specific issues and concerns
Mixed gender accommodation
At the time of our visit the Commission was advised that the BRP was being used as a mixed gendered facility
but primarily for women. Two men were being detained in the BRP rather than the MIDC due to its better
Figure 8: Detained in BRP and refused immigration clearance: Arrivals and departures by gender (April 2023
accessibility for6 persons with disabilities. IHMS staff noted the MIDC was poorly structured for disability and
— March 2024)
that BRP had the only two units that were disability friendly, though neither had lifting devices.
Both men detained at BRP required onsite carers and had been assessed by Serco as posing no risk to the
women’s safety. Both were monitored by an officer and the Commission observed this occurring during the visit.
50
NUMBER OF PEOPLE DETAINED
In addition to these two men, the Commission was advised that the BRP could also be used for families if the
45also being used for people who had been refused immigration clearance as a place of shortneed arose and was
term detention prior to removal (otherwise called an ‘airport turnaround’, where stay is less than 72 hours179).
40
The Commission was advised that when a person was detained at BRP, following refused immigration
35
clearance, they were not allowed to leave the unit they were housed in, and an officer would be assigned to
that unit to ensure30
there was no mixing with the existing women at the BRP.
The women at BRP25told the Commission they had no problems with the two men currently detained with
them. Some did however
raise concerns about the presence of males generally. One woman recalling her
20
experience of arriving from prison to the mixed gendered facility said that, ‘in the beginning [having] just
15
come from prison [where] doors are locked at night and now [being] here and there are men in there,
10
[it was a] culture shock.’
Another woman was particularly concerned about the men refused immigration
clearance. She stated, ‘we just don’t know much about them. [I] feel they are a security risk but I’m worried
5
if I complain I’m the one who will be moved, not them. I don’t want to ruffle feathers and be moved to a
0
more jail-like environment.
But I’ve been woken up withSeptem
someone
trying
to jump
Octobe
Novem
Decema fence.
Januar Woken
Februar up by
April
May
June
July August
March
ber We’re
r
ber
ber to lock
y our yhomes’.
guards screaming. What if that person had run into my room?
not
allowed
Women (Arrival)
11
14
13
9
16
9
10
15
18
14
12
30
Men (Departure)
31
27
36
38
32
18
13
17
24
26
26
45
Feb
12
11
28
26
Mar
30
32
44
45
The Commission requested data from the Department to obtain a better sense of how many people refused
Women (Departure)
11
8
17
9
16
11
9
12
15
16
11
32
immigration
clearance had
passed
through
the
BRP 29
and how
long14
they were
detained
there.
Men (Arrival)
32
30
31
41
19
17
24
25
28
44
NUMBER OF PEOPLE DETAINED
Figure 8: Detained in BRP and refused immigration clearance:
Women (Arrival)
Women (Departure)
Men (Arrival)
Arrivals and departures by gender (April 2023 — March 2024)180
Men (Departure)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Women (Arrival)
Women (Departure)
Men (Arrival)
Men (Departure)
April
11
11
32
31
May
14
8
30
27
Women (Arrival)
June
13
17
31
36
July
9
9
41
38
Aug
16
16
29
32
Women (Departure)
Sept
9
11
19
18
Oct
10
9
14
13
Men (Arrival)
Nov
15
12
17
17
Dec
18
15
24
24
Jan
14
16
25
26
Men (Departure)
Centre specific issues and concerns
47