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Legal support that changes lives and systems 

Anti-Slavery Australia
Poorvaja Nirmaleswaran, a Lawyer with Anti-Slavery Australia, says the challenging work “often requires us to find solutions in systems that do not account for our client’s experiences. I am grateful to be working in an organisation that can support and advocate for these vulnerable people.” © Anti-Slavery Australia.

When Maya first contacted Anti-Slavery Australia, she was stranded overseas with her young child after being trafficked by her husband under the guise of a family visit.

Her passport had been taken, her visa had been withdrawn without her consent, and she was left without legal status or support.

Anti-Slavery Australia undertook urgent legal and policy advocacy with the Department of Home Affairs to verify the fraudulent withdrawal and reinstate her visa application. The work required close coordination across government, including the Department of Home Affairs, Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police. Anti-Slavery Australia also referred Maya through the Additional Referral Pathway, ensuring she could access specialist support through the Support for Trafficked People Program, and provided legal representation throughout the process.

Following this coordinated effort, Maya and her child were granted a permanent visa and safely returned to Australia. They were met on arrival and supported into safe accommodation arranged by the Australian Red Cross.

Maya’s case reflects the precision and persistence of Anti-Slavery Australia’s legal practice. It was a concerted effort that combined technical legal work, survivor advocacy and inter-agency cooperation to achieve a life changing outcome.

Cases like hers illustrate the increasing complexity of exploitation patterns, particularly involving exit trafficking and forced marriage. Anti-Slavery Australia is now receiving requests for assistance every week from individuals facing similar situations, highlighting the vital role of sustained legal intervention in achieving safety and justice.

This frontline work sits within a year of broader national impact. Anti-Slavery Australia played a central role in shaping Australia’s modern slavery response, coordinating civil society engagement during the UN Special Rapporteur’s visit and having its recommendations reflected in the final report. The organisation also contributed to key national reforms, including the review of the Modern Slavery Act and the development of the Federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Strategic Plan. AntiSlavery Australia led the national working group that produced new trauma informed practice guidelines, now used across the sector.

For survivors like Maya, this combination of specialist legal help and national advocacy is transformative. Anti-Slavery Australia’s work protects individuals while helping strengthen the systems that determine how Australia responds to modern slavery.

Anti-Slavery Australia, based at the University of Technology Sydney, is a national leader in legal, policy and advocacy work to end modern slavery. Through specialist legal services and a dedicated policy team, the organisation supports people affected by trafficking, forced labour and forced marriage and helps shape the reforms needed to strengthen Australia’s national response.

Australia / Justice for women and girls

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