News and Media

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) remains concerned about the health and wellbeing of refugee survivors of torture and trauma who continue to be housed in facilities on Manus Island and Nauru. FASSTT is a network of Australia’s eight specialist rehabilitation agencies that work…

FASSTT WELCOMES THE RATIFICATION OF OPCAT – A TREATY TO STRENGTHEN THE PROTECTION FROM ABUSE OF PEOPLE DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERTY.  The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) welcomes the announcement of the Attorney General Senator the Hon George Brandis on 15 December 2017, that…

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT)   Statement regarding the situation of people seeking asylum who were transferred by Australia to Nauru and Papua New Guinea   Recent disturbing events on Manus Island underscore the pressing need for the Australian Government to act promptly…

    Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for its inquiry into the Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 Committee Secretary Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee legcon.sen@aph.gov.au…

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Joint Standing Committee of Inquiry into Migrant Settlement Outcomes. This submission will outline the specific service and client context of FASSTT and its area of expertise.  It will then address three…

Introduction The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission in response to the proposals of the Australian Government to strengthen the requirements to become an Australian citizen. Given the nature of our work, outlined below, the submission focuses on…

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) expresses its concern that the Australian Government has imposed a deadline of 1 October 2017 for people who arrived by boat without a valid visa during the past five years to submit their applications for protection, and that…

The Council unanimously elected Jorge Aroche, Chief Executive Officer of Australian IRCT member centre, Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), as the new IRCT President. Ms Sana Hamzeh, Psychotherapist at Restart Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture in Lebanon, was elected…

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) expresses its profound concern that the Australian Border Force Act 2015 has created a serious criminal offence for people providing services to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) to publicly disclose information about damaging effects of…

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma welcomes the release of the National Mental Health Commissions’ Review of Mental Health Programmes and services. FASSTT appreciates the recognition in the Review of the particular needs of refugee survivors of torture and trauma.  It welcomes  the recognition that…