“Coercive Control and Cultural Considerations in Migrant and Refugee Communities”
The 2024 NSW Interpreters, Bilingual Community Educators, and Multicultural Workers Forum was held on October 23rd, focusing on the recent coercive control legislation introduced in NSW in July 2024, with a particular emphasis on its impact on migrant and refugee communities. The forum took place in Sydney with both in-person and virtual attendance options.
The event featured several distinguished speakers. Mayet Costello, Acting Director of Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse, and Neglect (PARVAN) at the Ministry of Health, provided an update on NSW Health initiatives. Racheal Dobson from Legal Aid presented on the latest Coercive Control legislation. Maryam Zahid discussed key practice considerations when working with migrant and refugee communities.
A highlight of the forum included three presentations addressing specific coercive control tactics within some migrant and refugee communities: Kittu Randhawa covered dowry abuse, Sarah S. presented on modern slavery, and Dr. Nghato Mugo shared her research findings on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
In the afternoon, Dr. Nafiseh Ghafournia set the scene for a group discussion on a case study, focusing on cultural safety and responsiveness. The forum concluded with an insightful presentation by Rafik Tanious from STARTTS on boundary setting and self-care.
Participants gained valuable insights and practical strategies for working with vulnerable families, empowering them to deliver more culturally sensitive and responsive support.
