Multicultural Victorians face hidden water safety dangers

PEOPLE from multicultural backgrounds are overrepresented in drowning incidents across Victoria prompting new research into the barriers they face to staying safe in the water.

Deakin University has collaborated with Life Saving Victoria and Royal Life Saving Australia to examine water safety challenges faced by Victorians from Vietnamese and Indian backgrounds.

The study found about a third of all fatal drownings in Victoria this financial year have involved people from multicultural backgrounds.

Significantly the research found fatal drownings in multicultural communities affect not only newer arrivals but also people who have lived in Victoria for an average of 20 years.

The study involved interviews with 12 participants from India and Vietnam and found many did not recognise that red and yellow flags marked safe swimming areas or that waterways without flags were potentially dangerous.

Language barriers and differences in what is understood as swimming also meant the traditional Australian message of “swim between the flags” did not reach these communities effectively.

The findings carry particular weight along the Bass Coast where a series of drowning tragedies in recent years has underscored the vulnerability of multicultural communities at local beaches.

Four members of one family lost their lives at Forrest Caves Beach on January 24, 2024 and a boy went missing in the surf at Venus Bay on the Australia Day long weekend this year and has not been found.

Both incidents involved families from multicultural backgrounds.

Bass Coast Shire Council last week hosted a beach safety event at the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club featuring coastal expert Professor Rob Brander who demonstrated how rip currents work and how to recognise them.

The council has also joined with neighbouring councils to develop the Bass Coast-Mornington Peninsula Cross-Council Water Safety Framework which uses new research to guide councils on how to protect communities particularly culturally diverse communities who are at higher risk.

Deakin University Honours student Lian Low who led the research said the findings pointed to challenges and solutions for water safety in Victoria.

“As a migrant who learned to swim as an adult undertaking this research was poignant,” Ms Low said.

“By working with and listening to Victoria’s multicultural communities water safety initiatives can be more inclusive relevant and effective.”

Life Saving Victoria Manager of Research and Evaluation Dr Hannah Graefe said the study demonstrated the need for water safety education tailored to multicultural Victorians.

“This research highlights why culturally informed family-centred approaches to water safety are essential if we want our prevention messages to truly reach and protect everyone in our community,” Dr Graefe said.

Targeted water safety education programs that took a whole-of-family approach were found to help reduce risks with participants exposed to such programs having better understanding of rip currents and safety messages.

Nationally 50 people drowned in coastal waters this summer with coastal drowning accounting for 62 per cent of the national summer drowning burden.

Only six per cent of Australian beaches are patrolled during summer.