Documents exposed by the Guardian newspaper have revealed persistent suicide attempts and sexual predation inside the refugee detention centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
Manus Island Regional Processing Centre. Photo: Behrouz Boochani
About 900 men have been detained by Australia for four years at the centre, where guards are issued "cut-down knives" to rescue refugees who hang themselves.
The documents say deteriorating mental health in the detention centre once led to 16 self harm and suicide attempts in a single week.
Reports of assaults on refugees by staff and vice-versa are common, including details of detainees being beaten and racially abused while restrained.
The papers also reveal a drug trade within the centre, where a staff member is alleged to have been dealing drugs while another was accused of being high at work.
Sexual predation is reported as well with one detainee lodging more than 30 complaints of harassment and rape.
