ABSTRACT
Over the last two decades Australia has been accused of abusing asylum seekers in ways that contravene the Convention against Torture. Looking at the public record and interviewing the medical professionals who have worked with detainees reveals the stark reality of this accusation. But what of the Responsibles – the medical professionals who work to protect the sacred core of those in their care? This chapter asks how do they describe the treatment and where does that leave them in a system that threatens to co-opt their care in the service of this abusive regime? Finally, how does political action change an asylum seeker’s capacity to survive this system?
