Twenty years ago, when Zuhra Dastyar arrived in Australia from war-torn Afghanistan, her world was full of concerns.
“I was concerned about how to settle in Australia but also about how to help our family back home,” Ms Dastyar told SBS News.
And while there were many questions in Ms Dastyar’s mind, there were few answers.
“I don’t think we had a lot of support [groups] at that time. That was quite distressing and emotionally challenging,” she said.
That, however, has changed for some migrants who have recently moved to Australia from conflict-ridden nations, such as Ukraine and Afghanistan.
In an Australian first, the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) has launched a multilingual telephone helpline for people impacted by overseas conflicts.
Called Witness to War, the free NSW-based phone service (1800 845 198) operates from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm, and employs about 10 “bicultural workers” who offer support to distressed people in eight different languages – Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Hazaragi, Kurdish (Sorani), Pashto, Ukrainian and Urdu.
As one of the bicultural workers, Ms Dastyar is at the forefront of the state-government-funded initiative.
“When I arrived in Australia, I wasn’t comfortable enough to talk about my concerns because I thought it was just me,” Ms Dastyar said.
“But now when I look at it, I feel, everybody goes through the same kind of experiences and uncertainties when you move to a new country.
“Knowing that we have help now, however, gives me hope for them.”
‘Huge amount of stress’
Andrew Mencinsky – director of the Ukrainian Council of New South Wales – said services like Witness to War play a critical role in helping migrant communities manage stress related to overseas conflicts.
“We’re seeing a huge amount of stress among the Ukrainian-Australian community, both for those who have lived here for a very long time as well as obviously those who have recently arrived due to being displaced by the Russian invasion,” Mr Mencinsky told SBS News.
Mr Mencinsky said the people who experience the highest amount of stress are those who have recently escaped the conflict zones.
“These people have fled war zones where their own lives were at risk of ending at any time.
“Russia was indiscriminately shelling many sections of Ukraine for an extended period of time and there was this constant fear among these people that this day might be their last,” Mr Mencinsky said.
“And that fear is still present with those people even after they arrive in Australia.”
He said recent arrivals from Ukraine and other war-ravaged nations also have a persistent stress about the family members they leave behind.
Director of the Ukrainian Council of New South Wales Andrew Mencinsky (left) shows a guidebook to recently arrived migrant from Ukraine in Sydney. Credit: Picasa
“They start every call with, ‘Are you OK?’ ‘Have you heard any bombings?’ ‘Are you safe?’
“So there’s a never-ending fear of our friends and family in Ukraine who might die.
“Every person I know, one of the first things they do when they get up, is to check their phones to find out where the bombings were last night and if their friends and family are safe or not.”
How the hotline helps
Jorge Aroche – CEO of STARTTS – said the Witness to War hotline helps distressed people “unpack”.
“Witness to War is an initiative that allows people affected by overseas conflicts to talk to someone with lived experience and unpack how the situation is affecting them,” Mr Aroche told SBS News.
Bicultural workers like Ms Dastyar take calls and first try to ascertain the stress level and needs of the caller.
Some people are just looking for basic information about how to find employment or education opportunities in Australia, Mr Aroche said.
Russia was indiscriminately shelling many sections of Ukraine for an extended period of time and there was this constant fear among these people that this day might be their last.Andrew Mencinsky
“Some may need psychological help, so we point them in the right direction.
“While some may just want to have a conversation with someone who speaks their language and shares their cultural identity,” he said.
While the hotline is only offering services in eight languages, it can seek help from interpreting services such as Translating and Interpreting Service if callers speaking other languages call them.
And while the service is only available in NSW, Mr Aroche said efforts are made to help callers from other jurisdictions as much as possible.
“We primarily focus on NSW but if people call us from outside the state, we try our best to connect them with our sister agencies in other states and territories,” Mr Aroche said.
“We try to assess their situations so we can help them.”
Witness to War: 1800 845 198
