Exodus from Iran: Stories of Persecution, Escape, Freedom and Settlement of Baha'is Pushed from Iran and Pulled to Australia

Several thousand Iranian Baha''is, members of a persecuted minority, fled their homes during and after the Revolution of 1979. Most became refugees forced to hire people smugglers. Recent immigration policies in Australia created a safe haven for them and facilitated their settlement. Their religious beliefs centre on unity and strongly feature the need for equality of men and women. The belief in the oneness of humanity coupled with the presence of an established Baha''i community in Australia provided the migrants with a social network and an acceptable identity in their host society. The women acquired individual autonomy, freedom, and the opportunity for tertiary education and achieved the success denied them in their homeland. Most of the refugees became an asset to their adopted country. This book tracks their journey from terror to security - in some cases from prison to individual freedom and prosperity.