Photovoice Exhibition: ASPIRE (Analysing Safety and Place in Immigrant and Refugee Experience)

Immigrant and refugee women in Australia are known to face particular barriers accessing services aimed at preventing and responding to family violence. However, there is limited evidence about the contexts, nature and dynamics of violence against immigrant and refugee women that can inform the development of responsive and accessible community-based interventions. This report outlines findings from research commissioned by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) entitled Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia that aimed to contribute to the currently limited evidence base. The project, known as ASPIRE (Analysing Safety and Place in Immigrant and Refugee Experience), was led by researchers from the University of Melbourne, the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, and the University of Tasmania. Research was conducted in eight sites across urban and regional settings in Victoria and Tasmania.

A Photovoice project with ten women from immigrant and refugee background that enabled them to share their perspectives and priorities about family violence through photography, written reflection and group discussion.