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A trans woman detained at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre says she feels isolated, heavily surveilled, and subjected to discriminatory treatment.
Kayla, whose name has been changed for her safety, is one of four trans women transferred to the Western Sydney detention centre this year.
Speaking to the ABC, she described an environment of “hyper monitoring” and constant scrutiny, which she said made it impossible to speak or act freely.
Until September, Kayla said, all trans women were housed in Villawood’s male compound.
“Their toxic mindset that ‘trans people are predatory’ has stopped them from letting us live in the female compound,” she said.
“It feels like we’re being punished for crimes we haven’t committed and for stereotypes about trans people that simply aren’t true.”
According to Kayla, the trans women face restrictions more severe than those imposed on high-risk detainees.
“High-risk detainees are allowed to move around their compound freely and don’t have to stand next to an officer at all times,” she said.
Kayla claimed that the four women were assigned six officers to monitor them and that staff recorded notes about them every hour.
She recalled an incident involving another trans woman who stood up to an officer she described as intimidating.
“The officer made it clear he didn’t care if we reported him. He said there was nothing we could do against him, and the other officers in the room just stood by and watched,” she said.
Kayla said this relentless surveillance and micromanagement was taking a toll on her mental health.
“It feels like they’re waiting for one of us to make a mistake so they can impose even more rules and restrictions,” she said.
“They don’t know how to treat us, so they’ve shoved us into a corner and congratulate themselves for keeping us alive.”
‘Treated like experiments’
Kayla has lived and worked in Australia for a decade and considers herself a “valued member of society”.
She said she was abruptly transferred to Sydney after being detained interstate for a month.
“I feel like the trans detainees are being treated like experiments, with arbitrary rules made up just for us,” Kayla said.
“They’re rounding us up like cattle.”
In a statement, the Australian Border Force (ABF) declined to comment on individual cases.
However, it acknowledged the diversity of identities within the Immigration Detention Network (IDN).
“The ABF is committed to providing a safe, open, and accepting environment in the IDN that supports people of all sexualities and gender identities,” a spokesperson said.
“All necessary actions are taken to ensure the welfare and dignity of all detainees at all times.”
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