Our increasingly globalised society has witnessed changes in immigration patterns, particularly from countries devastated by drought, famine or political upheaval and conflict. The complexities faced by immigrants are often poorly understood in their recipient destinations. One such demographic is that of female Iraqi refugees who have fled to Australia. Iraq has a particularly complex history interwoven on a background of religious ideologies. This mix has given rise to a limited understanding of the tensions that exist when refugees seek to migrate to foreign destinations where their background is poorly understood. Australia is no exception in this respect, which has further confused the issues in a country where political ideology in relation to border control is obfuscated.