Dear supporters, On Tuesday, Australian Women in Support of Women on Nauru's Claire O'Connor SC and Pamela Curr gave evidence at the Senate Committee into the serious allegations of abuse, self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers in the Nauru Processing Centre and Manus Processing centre. We were pleased that the Committee now has before it submissions from a range of witnesses attesting to the appalling harm detention causes people and the added misery of off-shore detention because of the lack of accountability that exists, as well as its unsafe environments.  Our submission: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/NauruandManusRPCs/Submissions We were able to explain that the impact of cruel detention policies has been known for well over a decade. We failed to see the benefit of yet more inquiries and reports without any response or action from the government. Sadly, these abuses are already well known. The Human Rights Commission and HREOC reports, Ombudsmen reports, the Moss Report, Eva Orner's film, and the ABC's recent 4 Corners programme - it is widely known that Nauru and Manus are cruel environments. And it is clear that they are intended to be so. During yesterday’s proceedings we were asked whether we support a Nauru children's Commissioner - we do not. We do not want more reporting on the harm caused to innocent people when there is no action. What we do want want is for the harm to stop and for the detainees offshore to be brought to Australia for processing.  At the committee we also demonstrated our grave concerns for the Government’s new plan to ship people currently in Australia for medical or sexual assault reasons, to transfer them first to Manus or Nauru before being processed to a third country. Not only is it completely unnecessary, but it is enormously cruel, and potentially dangerous for victims. What the Government decides in the next month and a half will be key, shaping Australia's asylum seeker and refugee policies. However, with possible new influxes of people fleeing violence, war and persecution, offshore detention may remain the only solution postulated by both major parties. It is one that is both cruel and crushing, and has simply endured for far too long. What we have witnessed over several decades now is a policy that sees vulnerable people transported to poor, developing countries and told that they will be detained indefinitely in conditions criticised severely by national and international organisations. Some of the commentary by politicians claim that the cruel policy prevents drownings – some say that it prevents those not invited to Australia from ever being permitted to stay. Needless to say it has done neither, and those fleeing from persecution, abuse, war and most often, for their lives, will continue to make the passage to Australia through dangerous waters to seek safety unless we arrive at a solution which provides safe options for some of world's most disadvantaged people. Real options which will provide a better alternative than fleeing by boat and arriving at a place where women and children are abused and violated with a shockingly high frequency. Again, only time will tell what happens. Whether our evidence - along with that of so many other organisations, journalists and individuals - will impact Australia's policies, we don't know. What we do know is that more people than ever want to see a change. After helping us crowd-fund last year to research and write our report, and with your consistent support, AWSWN has developed into a network of over 36,000 people who care. To read our submission the APH website visit: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/NauruandManusRPCs/Submissions In solidarity, Luisa Low with comments from Claire O'Connor, Pamela Curr and AWSWN team.