Beach Safety in Multicultural Communities

Multicultural communities are at particularly high risk for beach drowning and injury in Australia. People born oversees represent about a quarter of all drowning deaths in Australia, most of which occur at the beach. Previous qualitative research on cultural diversity and drowning prevention in Australia identified several key factors related to beach safety and drowning risk among multicultural communities:

• In many cultures, water is not considered a recreational resource as it is in Australia; people may not have exposure to swimming, experience of water safety or awareness of potential hazards/risks.

• For people who come to Australia as a migrant, international student or tourist, beach and surf conditions are often directly experienced through an unintended rip current encounter. 

• English language capability varies, which can limit one’s ability to read and understand safety signs at the beach and other waterways.  

There is increasing focus on multicultural populations within the water safety sector. In December 2018, more than 50 delegates representing water safety organisations, government, researchers and community representatives, met in Sydney for the Australian Water Safety Council Symposium ‘Addressing Drowning Among Multicultural Communities’. The Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 is a national plan to reduce the incidence of drowning in Australia and highlights a need to focus on migrant and culturally diverse populations. 

Research Participation Information

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