Navigating Coercive Control:

Yasmin, a young African woman, faced severe intimate partner violence and coercive control after moving to Australia. Isolated by language barriers and an insecure visa status, her husband’s threats and abuse escalated, leaving her hospitalised. This case study explores Yasmin’s journey through the family violence system, highlighting the critical support provided by Kara FVS in helping her regain autonomy and secure a stable future.

Background

Yasmin, a young African woman with limited English, experienced intimate partner violence perpetrated by her husband, which included multiple indicators consistent with coercive control. Her husband monitored her movements, restricted her access to medical care, and prevented her from leaving the house. Yasmin stated that these controlling behaviours only emerged after their move to Australia, a shift that left her feeling increasingly isolated and alone. When she tried to leave the relationship, her husband threatened to cancel her partner visa, using her insecure visa status as a further means of control.

Vulnerability and risk

Yasmin entered the family violence system with language barriers, no employment, and restricted access to her finances. The perpetrator’s abusive and controlling behaviours had escalated into a critical incident that left Yasmin hospitalised and in emergency care.

As a temporary visa holder, Yasmin was not eligible for many of the supports available to victim survivors with permanent residency or citizenship. Her decision to leave the relationship put her visa status in jeopardy, placing her at risk of deportation and potential retaliation from her family upon return. This created additional barriers to safety and recovery for Yasmin. Following the incident that led to her emergency care, police and health services were directly involved in securing Yasmin’s immediate safety. The hospital-based social worker connected Yasmin with family violence support being Safe Steps and Kara FVS and police applied for an Intervention Order (IVO) on her behalf.

Court Support

Coming from a region affected by conflict, where state interventions to address intimate partner violence were non-existent, Yasmin found the integrated crisis response in Victoria to be highly supportive but still found the legal system difficult to navigate, even with interpreter services available at the magistrate’s court.

While the courts provide protective interventions, such as the police-ordered IVO, Yasmin’s case underscored the gap between legal protection and agency. Immediately after referral to Kara FVS we were able to address these gaps and provides the holistic support necessary for Yasmin to regain autonomy and achieve stability. Kara FVS’s integrated case management support, which included court advocacy and support, helped Yasmin understand the Order’s requirements and to navigate the barriers within the broader system.

Yasmin’s supported accommodation and transitional housing

Yasmin had spent close to a month in crisis motel-based accommodation prior to her arrival at Kara FVS. She described her initial experience at Kara FVS’s refuge as welcoming and safe.

Kara FVS’s intersectional and person-centred approach ensured Yasmin would not be left outside the service support system. Through strong advocacy, specialist Kara FVS practitioners coordinated with legal services to support her intervention order and visa pathways. Her primary case worker partnered with migration specialists to help her obtain residency status, a critical step before securing longer-term accommodation options.

“They connected me with a lawyer that helped me obtain my visa.” Yasmin

This movement from crisis to transitional accommodation marked a significant step in Yasmin’s pathway to recovery and freedom from violence. Without this support, Yasmin faced significant system-level barriers in accessing financial assistance, housing, and migration services, which would have left her at greater risk of insecurity and potential return to the perpetrator. Instead, her positive experiences reflected the adaptive and holistic case management program within the supported accommodation provided by Kara FVS.

In the meantime, Kara FVS’s wrap-around supports maintained Yasmin’s safety by providing access to financial aid. Once her residency status was upgraded to permanent, Yasmin was able to receive tailored support from Kara FVS’s Housing Support Worker with goals toward securing stable, long-term accommodation. This service provided by Kara FVS involved advocacy to access suitable housing options, coordinating with housing services.

What does recovery look likes

For Yasmin, recovery was experienced through stability and housing security. While she acknowledged the comprehensive support she received from Kara FVS, she identified access to permanent housing as her main priority:

“I want to get more help for getting the housing services. Long-term housing where I can stay permanently. Everything else has been provided. I don’t need anything else, but that’s the important thing for me right now.” Yasmin

The uncertainty caused by housing insecurity underscores a key gap in the broader service system. Indeed, while crisis responses are available for victim survivors, pathways to longer-term, housing remain precarious, particularly for victim survivors with temporary visa status. For Yasmin, Kara FVS’s dedicated Housing Support Worker worked diligently and respectfully to secure housing options for Yasmin. However, the systemic delays and limited options for migrant women did mean that Yasmin’s situation remained unresolved for a significant amount of time.

After a period of months, Kara FVS’s Housing Support Worker successfully secured permanent housing for Yasmin In her interview, Yasmin had identified this as the last step needed in her long-tern recovery.

To refer a client or find out more about the
services and support we can provide:

T: 03 9899 5666
E: support@KaraFVS.org.au

‍

‍