Student Poll

Staying safe while you study

Safe study tips

Safety is always a concern for international students. Studying abroad means leaving the safety and security of your familiar surroundings. It may be your first time living away from your family, or you may need to travel on public transport at night to a part-time job or evening courses.

Studying in Australia has always been seen as safe for international students, so recent violence against several Indian students in Melbourne has caused some alarm amongst the international student community.

No matter where you are from, and no matter where you choose to study, there are things you can do to ensure you stay safe. Here are a few student safety tips:

Update your mobile phone address book: Your school or university international office may have a Rapid Response System number you can call in an emergency. Make sure you also know the general emergency phone number for your new country – 000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the USA.

Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you: Often this means changing your habits. Vasan Srinivasan, who leads the Federation of Indian Association of Victoria, points out that one of the students who was attacked had $6,000 in his wallet.

“At home, we are used to carrying our money with us, rather than using a credit card. But if the message goes around that Indians are more likely to have a it of money on them, that makes them easy victims.” His rule of thumb: never carry more than $20 in your pocket.

Live as close to your place of study and part-time job as possible: Try to avoid travelling long distances late at night. If you have to, travel in a group, and walk in well-lit areas.

Be alert and confident: Walking with confidence and making eye contact with others reduces your risk of being targeted. If you’re wearing headphones or texting while you walk, you’re less alert and more vulnerable to personal crime.

Protect your bag and wallet: Despite these recent events, violent crime is much less likely than theft. Carry your bag on the side furthest from the road, to reduce the risk of it being snatched. Make sure it is completely zipped up and that your wallet is not accessible or visible.

Call for help when you need it: Don’t be afraid to ask the police for help. If you are being verbally harassed, ignore it, and if you are alone head straight to a police station. Police often need a witness to bring about justice, so make sure you report any crime you see.

It’s important to remember that by international standards Australia is still a very safe country to live and study in.

The Australian government has been quick to take action. Two men involved in the May train stabbing have already been arrested. Increased patrols have been set up on transport and near student accommodation. A telephone hotline, staffed by Hindi and English speaking volunteers, is also now in place for Indian students.

If you are already studying in Australia and need more information, advice or support, you can call the new Indian student helpline on 1800 342 800.

Comments

[ali]

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[ali]

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[ali]

from this i am so like help to my my self from this lone to getting education from this line to join on my education and my work will from any country easy to me i will be on this line to like call you any time and any where like join to help first thing i will like to help

[ali]

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[ali]

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[dr.sheik]

i am thinking of cancelling my trip to australia for mba.racial atrocities and attack in aus. is very bad.a mature and socially and culturally developed society will never do this inhuman actions.sorry