Why do abused migrant women in Australia avoid police?

Abused migrant women in Australia often avoid police because they feel scared and don’t know what will happen next.

Imagine you’re playing hide-and-seek with your friends. You’re hiding really well, but then one of them finds you and starts laughing at you, not in a fun way, but in a mean way. Now, when the game is over, you might be too scared to tell anyone about it because you don’t know if they’ll believe you or if things will get worse.

Migrant women sometimes feel like that when they’re being abused by someone close to them, maybe their partner or family member. They may not speak the language well yet, or they worry about what will happen if they go to police.

Sometimes, the person abusing them is also from their home country or speaks the same language. That makes it harder to tell someone else, like police, because they might feel like no one will understand or help them.

Also, if they go to police, they might have to leave their home or even their job, which feels like a big change, just like moving from one playground to another without saying goodbye.