GSANZ Dr Rhonda Cumberland with Ms Penny Williams, Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls at the launch of the report in Melbourne.
Forced and servile marriage in Australia among migrant women and girls is a major emerging and alarming issue for the nation, according to research released in April by Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand.
Hidden Exploitation: Women in forced labour, marriage and migration, is the first Australian study to identify gaps and emerging issues in labour rights for women and girls, particularly those who are in transit, have been forced to migrate, or who are trafficked.
The report identifies that, anecdotally, incidents of forced marriage in Australia are common and that it is on the increase; but because it is ‘hidden’ in the community, little is known about the patterns of forced marriage and accurate data is hard to find.
Ms Penny Williams, Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, launched the report in Melbourne.
