Iranian woman, 24, had been receiving psychiatric care in Perth before jumping from a roof at the detention centre at the weekend

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A 24-year-old detainee understood to have jumped from a height on Christmas Island had recently been transferred back to the island against medical advice, Guardian Australia can reveal.

The Iranian woman, who was in the family camp on the island, had been receiving psychiatric care in Perth before jumping at the weekend, in what may have been a suicide attempt.



A senior Christmas Island source with knowledge of the transfer told Guardian Australia the woman had been admitted to Graylands psychiatric hospital in Perth due to serious psychiatric illness. “She was considered seriously unwell,” the source said.



The source said the woman was there just a few days before being transferred to detention in Perth and then being sent back to Christmas Island. She was deemed "fit to fly", but the medical advice was that she not be sent to the island.



About two days later, the jumping incident is understood to have occurred.



The woman, who is not a mother but is part of a family group, apparently jumped from a roof in detention on Christmas Island on Sunday evening and has subsequently been discharged from hospital following minor injuries.



Victoria Martin-Iversen, a refugee advocate in Perth, said the woman had been transferred to Perth in early June and when discharged from psychiatric care had been detained at Yongah Hill detention centre.



Martin-Iversen said she had met the woman in late June when she told her she had been “seeing demons”. She was sent back to Christmas Island days later.



In a rare statement, the president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists said he was "extremely concerned, but not surprised" to hear reports of women harming themselves on Christmas Island.

“The college is extremely concerned that people are finding themselves in such a desperate situation that they are considering such measures as attempting suicide.





“Some of our members have seen first-hand the condition they live in on Christmas Island and have observed anxiety, depression, self-harm and intention to commit suicide in detained children and adults.



“Any sustained period of detention has the potential to be harmful to their mental health.”

The revelations come as the Christmas Island shire president, Gordon Thomson, said the number of asylum seekers under observation on Christmas Island had risen to 14. On Tuesday nine women were understood to be on suicide watch.



Thomson told AAP that Serco, the security company managing the detention centre, had run out of female guards to monitor those on watch and were flying in 55 extra personnel.



"Serious conflict will arise and eruptions have started because a male guard is supervising a woman nursing a baby and breastfeeding," Thomson said on Thursday.



On Wednesday the Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs, said she was aware of seven women who had attempted suicide, threatened suicide or self harmed on Christmas Island over the past two days, prompting a meeting in the immigration department to deal with the issue.



Guardian Australia has also revealed a confidential report written by Serco in February that warned that self harm amongst asylum seekers – particularly those on Christmas Island – had surged as a result of government policy.



“There has been an increase in self harm, particularly on Christmas Island where the detainee cohort is most heavily impacted by new policies,” the report warned. It continued: “as time in detention continues to increase, it is likely that a corresponding increase will be experienced more broadly across the IDN [immigration detention network]”



The prime minister, Tony Abbott, described the episodes of self harm on Christmas Island as attempts to hold the government over a moral barrel”, comments that have drawn widespread criticism.



The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has been contacted for comment.



• If you are in distress and would like assistance, please call Lifeline 13 11 14; BeyondBlue 1300 224 636; or Mensline 1300 789 978 for support and information.

