Asylum: Voices from Behind the Razor Wire

by Heather Tyler

In coming to Australia none of them knew that their painful journey wasn't at an end, but could continue indefinitely at the discretion of the Australian government. These first-hand accounts describe the harrowing events that led them to flee their countries and their experience of the Australian detention system and the impact it has had on their physical and emotional wellbeing. Asylum also deals with Australia's perception of asylum seekers, how the media perceives them, why the issue has polarised a nation, and how the protest against the treatment of asylum seekers has exploded over the past twelve months.

238 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

Reviews

[Sarah Neofield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather Tyler’s Asylum: Voices behind the razor wire is among the most moving and gripping works I have read on the subject of asylum seekers in Australia, and the abhorrent treatment they have received (and continue to receive) at the hands of the government and its private contractors. First published 15 years ago, it is absolutely appalling to me that, unfortunately, not enough has changed. This book exposes the lies we have been told about asylum seekers and their supposedly ‘five star’ accommodations for what they are, and brings the reader face-to-face with stories from children, doctors, and other ordinary citizens held in detention. A must-read for every Australian.

[JZ Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an immigrant myself, I had very limited knowledge of the asylum system and what people actually go through. This was painful to read—painful in a way that made me question how terribly we can treat other human beings, and how sheltered or blind many people can be to this reality. It was truly eye-opening and has made me more aware of, and empathetic toward, human suffering as a whole.