We knew offshore detention was bad for the mental health of people seeking asylum. Our new research shows exactly how bad

People who had been detained offshore were 16.5-20.2 times more likely to report PTSD, five times more likely to report depression, and 4.6-5.2 times more likely to report suicidal ideation, compared to people who had been detained onshore for less than six months. A link between offshore detention and mental illness is not surprising. However, we were surprised by the magnitude of this effect.