MELBOURNE: Every day, on an average, four Indians are victims of crimes such as robbery and assault in Victoria, according to statistics released by the state’s top cop.
"Our statewide figures show that in 2007-08, 1,447 people of Indian-origin were victims of crimes, an increase from 1,082 the previous year," Simon Overland, chief commissioner, Victoria Police told Herald Sun newspaper.
In other words, a 34% jump over the previous year. "Some of these crimes are racially motivated. However, I also believe that many of the robberies and other crimes of violence are simply opportunistic. We know that a lot of international students work and study late at night and are often travelling home by themselves on trains, equipped with their laptops and phones. Unfortunately, they are often just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.
"We recognized this trend more than 18 months ago and have been working with the Indian community to detect and prevent these unacceptable crimes," he was quoted as saying. But Overland's remarks have done little to alleviate fears among the Indian students. "I'm feeling very scared now. I'm getting calls from my parents asking 'Are you safe?' and insisting I come back. There are many of my friends going back to India now just because of these incidents. They all feel they are not secure," said Sanket, 21, who goes to a city university was quoted by the same newspaper as saying.
Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) spokesman Gautam Gupta said he had advised seven students planning to leave the country in recent days. "They've told me they're too scared to stay."
But he said the FISA was getting calls from many more families who had scrapped plans to send their children to Australia. “Even if it is just a small percentage of the 93,000 students here, hundreds of students will be affected. We’re talking about 20-somethings being stabbed on the streets for 20 dollars or a cigarette. That is not the cost of a life. For each student that’s stabbed, five will be demotivated to continue studies or to come to Australia,” he said.
However, others said they never felt victimised because of their race. Instead, it was their circumstances, such as working late and travelling long distances on public transport to the outer suburbs, that made them targets for muggings and violence.
“Most of my friends work late at night at KFC or 7-Eleven. It’s an international students issue, not just of Indian students.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/In-Oz-4-Indians-attacked-every-day/articleshow/4614726.cms
"Our statewide figures show that in 2007-08, 1,447 people of Indian-origin were victims of crimes, an increase from 1,082 the previous year," Simon Overland, chief commissioner, Victoria Police told Herald Sun newspaper.
In other words, a 34% jump over the previous year. "Some of these crimes are racially motivated. However, I also believe that many of the robberies and other crimes of violence are simply opportunistic. We know that a lot of international students work and study late at night and are often travelling home by themselves on trains, equipped with their laptops and phones. Unfortunately, they are often just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.
"We recognized this trend more than 18 months ago and have been working with the Indian community to detect and prevent these unacceptable crimes," he was quoted as saying. But Overland's remarks have done little to alleviate fears among the Indian students. "I'm feeling very scared now. I'm getting calls from my parents asking 'Are you safe?' and insisting I come back. There are many of my friends going back to India now just because of these incidents. They all feel they are not secure," said Sanket, 21, who goes to a city university was quoted by the same newspaper as saying.
Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) spokesman Gautam Gupta said he had advised seven students planning to leave the country in recent days. "They've told me they're too scared to stay."
But he said the FISA was getting calls from many more families who had scrapped plans to send their children to Australia. “Even if it is just a small percentage of the 93,000 students here, hundreds of students will be affected. We’re talking about 20-somethings being stabbed on the streets for 20 dollars or a cigarette. That is not the cost of a life. For each student that’s stabbed, five will be demotivated to continue studies or to come to Australia,” he said.
However, others said they never felt victimised because of their race. Instead, it was their circumstances, such as working late and travelling long distances on public transport to the outer suburbs, that made them targets for muggings and violence.
“Most of my friends work late at night at KFC or 7-Eleven. It’s an international students issue, not just of Indian students.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/In-Oz-4-Indians-attacked-every-day/articleshow/4614726.cms
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