Suicide attempts have been confirmed amongst the children and teenagers in the Pontville Immigration Detention Centre near Hobart.
Australia’s Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell visited the centre last month and interviewed about 200 of the male detainees.
Ms Mitchell says the 337 asylum seekers are at an age where they’re “developmentally vulnerable”
She told AM that many of them were very depressed and anxious and that had led to some serious self harm.
“It can range from cutting themselves to attempted suicide, and that’s what they told us there were instances of all of those things going on,” she said.
• Paul O’Halloran: Release the Pontville children immediately
• This is a fast-moving story, with deaths on sinking asylum seeker boats. Stay abreast by using the TT NEWS Dropdown menu (top nav bar).
• Christine Milne, Sarah Hanson-Young: “Many people will feel ashamed and disappointed at the decision to dump some of the world’s most vulnerable people on one of the world’s most impoverished countries. “Once again Labor has failed to have the courage to stand up for what is right.”
