Rise of abuse within Melbourne's foreign student community
Updated
Exploitation and violence towards international students in Australia has received headlines worldwide. But women's rights groups are concerned at a sharp rise of domestic violence and sexual abuse within Melbourne's international student community. They say authorities are not doing enough to fix the hidden problem.
Presenter: Stephanie March
Speakers: "Reema", international student; Adele Murdolo, Executive Director Multicultural Centre for Women's Health: Maya Avdibegovic, chief executive officer Immigrant Women's Domestic Violence Service
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MARCH: Reema is an international student who came to australia from India with her husband and dreams to complete a business diploma. It wasn't long before their relationship started to deteriorate.
'REEMA': He just shouted at me and threw that cup of tea on me and that makes me very upset....That whole day I locked myself in the toilet. I didn't come out because i was quite scared. From that point I started thinking "this guy is going to kill me".
MARCH: Reema can't reveal her real name, as she fears her spouse will hurt loved ones back home. Overseas and alone, Reema had no idea who to go to for help
'REEMA': I thought maybe if I go to immigration that will affect my studies and my visa... So I thought it is not a good idea so I never went to them.
MARCH: Reema's case is not an isolated one. Women's support groups say there are more and more female international students coming to them with stories of violence and abuse.
MURDOLO: We've got information from women who are not reporting this abuse to the police or any government department. They are experiencing discrimination, sexual harassment and violence and they are really not going to authorities with that information.
MARCH: Adele Murdolo from the Multicultural Centre for Women's Health in Melbourne says violence and abust is a problem at home, and in the workplace.
MURDOLO: Women have told us about their employers coercing or forcing them to exchange sexual favours in order to to keep their job. We have also heard reports of landlords asking for sexual favours in exchange for lower rents or accommodation.
MARCH: Maya Avdibegovic, the chief executive officer with the Immigrant Women's Domestic Violence Service, says her resources are stretched.
AVDIBEGOVIC: I can say that there has been an increase recently and we try to address that issue by employing workers that come from specific cultural and linguistic backgrounds to match the needs of those international students.
MARCH: Those dealing with this underground problem - like Adele Murdolo - say little is being done to ensure female international students know their rights and what to do if they're in trouble.
MURDOLO: It's been completely overlooked. I think it is great we have more infomation about public street-based violence against Indian students - this is fantastic because it should not stay hidden - but at the same time as that is becoming visible there is a whole area that remains marginalised and invisible.
MARCH: Victims, like Reema, couldn't agree more.
'REEMA': Everybody is focus on that thing in Australia, on racism, but nobody is looking specifically on international females, on what problems they are facing.
MARCH: The spokeswoman for the Women's Affairs Minister in the state of Victoria where Reema is studying says government representatives have met the leaders of migrant women's groups and are taking their concerns seriously.
The spokeswoman says there is a 24-crisis service that can direct international students to womens support and crisis groups.
A representative from the Victoria Police said in a statement they provide information sessions for some international students that does include information on what to do about domestic violence and sexual abuse.
But Adele Murdolo says more needs to be done for the almost 200,000 female international students in Australia.
MURDOLO: Of the solutions that government has come up with - and they have been great - there is no gender specific element to them.
MARCH: Meanwhile Reema has managed to escape he abusive relationship and is now trying to divorce her husband.
She hopes other women in similar situations in the future have the courage - and the support - to do the same.
