How Do Refugee Women in Australia Experience Mental Health and Intimate Partner Violence Compared to Australian-Born Women?

What you need to know

• Refugee women experience significantly higher rates of intimate partner violence and depression compared to Australian-born women
• While intimate partner violence rates increased over time for Australian-born women, they decreased slightly for refugee women
• Depression rates declined over time for both groups, but remained consistently higher among refugee women

The Context of Refugee Women’s Mental Health

Imagine moving to a new country while pregnant, not speaking the language well, and having survived traumatic experiences in your homeland. This is the reality for many refugee women settling in countries like Australia. Their mental wellbeing faces multiple challenges - past trauma, current stress from adapting to a new culture, and sometimes violence within their own homes.

Understanding the WATCH Study

The Women Aware with Their Children (WATCH) study followed 1,335 pregnant women in Australia - 685 from refugee backgrounds and 650 Australian-born women. Researchers interviewed these women multiple times over several years, starting during pregnancy and continuing as their children grew. This allowed them to track changes in mental health and experiences of domestic violence over time.

Key Findings on Violence and Mental Health

The study revealed concerning patterns. About 44% of refugee women reported experiencing intimate partner violence, compared to 26% of Australian-born women. While these rates increased slightly for Australian-born women over time (reaching 30%), they decreased slightly for refugee women (to 43%).

Depression showed similar patterns - 25% of refugee women experienced major depression during pregnancy, compared to 15% of Australian-born women. Although these rates improved over time for both groups, refugee women consistently showed higher rates of depression.

Impact on Children and Parenting

The study also looked at how these challenges affected parenting and child development. Children of refugee mothers showed more signs of social and emotional difficulties compared to children of Australian-born mothers. Refugee mothers also reported higher levels of parenting stress, highlighting how mental health challenges can impact the whole family.

What This Means for You

If you work with refugee women or are part of a refugee community, these findings emphasize the importance of:

• Early screening for mental health issues during pregnancy
• Providing culturally sensitive support services
• Checking in regularly about experiences of domestic violence
• Offering parenting support that acknowledges cultural differences
• Creating safe spaces where women can discuss their challenges

Conclusions

• Refugee women face higher risks of both intimate partner violence and depression compared to women born in their host country
• These mental health challenges can persist even years after settling in a new country
• Supporting refugee women’s mental health requires long-term, culturally sensitive approaches that consider both past trauma and current challenges