Backpackers fall prey to farm employers who demand sex before signing off visa application

Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Kevin Cocks fears some farm employers have withheld signing off on visa applications in order to manipulate travellers.

Backpackers visiting Australia on a one-year Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa are required to undertake at least three months of work in regional or rural Australia in order to qualify for a second year. Upon completion, farmers or contractors have to sign off on visa application paperwork confirming applicants’ work to be done.

However, it has been reported that some of the employers are taking due advantage of the situation and asking young applicants to divulge into sexual acts.

"Young women are asked for sexual favours to get their visa signed off,” Cocks said. He told ABC that some contractors take advantage of women’s vulnerability as they sometimes provide accommodation to the women.

He further confirmed that many of such incidents have been directly or indirectly reported to the community members, government agencies and police. Agencies and police have been finding indirectly reported incidents to be more dangerous. "At least a dozen over the past 18 months, and that's just in the area that we've worked in [the Lockyer Valley in south-east Queensland],” he added.

A spokesperson of the Queensland police said that women often seek help from the police to escape the situation but once they are out of the situation, they tend to leave without making a complaint. He said the farm where a backpacker has to work to earn a second Working Visa is often located in a secluded area, which gives some farmers an added advantage to exploit the applicants.

German backpacker Daphne, who worked in a farm located in New South Wales, spoke on her experience while trying to secure her second working visa. She admitted to giving into the sexual demands of the farmer because she was in dire need of her new visa as only a few days were left before her first year visa expired.

Similar incidents have also been reported. However, farmers whose conduct has been reported to police and immigration officials, are not blocked from continuing to employ backpackers for visa purposes. A Department of Immigration spokesperson said investigations have started and denied commenting while operations were on.

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