High care accommodation in men’s compounds Where single separation and close monitoring is required (such as where a person poses a serious risk of harm to others or themselves), people in immigration detention are typically transferred to High Care Accommodation (HCA) in either Hume A, Hume B or the Hotham compound. HCA units contain single-occupancy bedrooms that are sparsely furnished with hard, fixed furniture. Bathrooms containing stainless steel fittings are located within the room, separated by walls or partitions. The rooms have solid metal doors and are constantly monitored via CCTV. HCA units contain small common areas that variously contain seating, televisions and basic kitchen and laundry facilities. HCA units also contain a small enclosed outdoor area for access to fresh air. In Hume A and Hume B the outdoor areas are not visible to the main compound population as a large wall encloses the HCA in both compounds. However, in Hotham these outdoor areas are within the general Hotham outdoor area. At the time of the Commission’s visit, the outdoor area of the Hotham quarantine unit was not being used though people in quarantine were still provided fresh air in a small, caged smoking area located behind the unit. The Commission observed that this area was visible to some of the accommodation in the Mitchell compound. In the non-quarantine HCA in Hotham, the outdoor area was also covered by privacy screening. However, the Commission observed that the screening was ineffective and provided only limited privacy. The Commonwealth Ombudsman has previously stated that ‘[p]lacement in HCA should only be used as a last resort, when other strategies to manage a person’s vulnerabilities, behaviour, or the risk they pose have not succeeded’.205 The Commission has also stated in the past that ‘conditions in ‘high-care accommodation’ units are typically harsh and highly restrictive’.206 The Special Rapporteur on Torture has highlighted that women ‘subjected to solitary confinement suffer particularly grave consequences as it tends to retraumatize victims of abuse and women suffering from mental health problems.’207 The Commonwealth Ombudsman reported that in 2022—2023, HCA was used at VIDC for periods of greater than 24 hours on 33 occasions for both men and women.208 Information subsequently provided by the Department to the Commission indicated that within the 12 months until 14 June 2024, women had been placed in HCA at VIDC on 10 separate occasions for periods ranging between 24 hours to 4 days.209 While the Commission did not have information on how many men were placed in HCA over the same period, there is cause for concern about the high use of HCA on women at VIDC, given women are a significantly smaller population group to the men (for example, women made up 7.5% of people detained at VIDC as of June 30, 2024210). The introduction of the two women’s compounds may have resulted in a decrease in the use of HCA, however, the Commission did not review any data to confirm this. Nonetheless, the Commission is particularly concerned that women are being placed into HCA within men’s compounds, whatever the reason. While the Hume A and Hume B compound provide greater levels of privacy, the Hotham compound provides very little privacy in the outdoor areas which creates the risk that women may be subjected to unwanted interactions with detained males. While recognising that single separation can sometimes be required211, the Commission believes this should not involve women being placed in accommodation located within any of the men’s compound, but rather, in a separate area of the Miowera Village (in conjunction with Recommendation 24). 60 Not just an afterthoughtThe experience of women in immigration detention