Serious and Violent Crime

Abstract

The issue of serious and violent crime in relation to international students was perceived to be much less prevalent than non-violent crime. Nonetheless, the interviewees provided many accounts of violent crime. This chapter focuses on robbery—including armed robbery—assault, and the more serious crimes of homicide, kidnapping, extortion and terrorism. Robbery was thought to be the most prevalent violent crime relating to international students and it was often associated with assault. Consequently, attention will be given to a series of assaults and robberies in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, which made international headlines. It is noted that this form of crime was also raised as a problem in other parts of Australia, the UK and the US. Some cases of assault and robbery also involved homicide, increasing the seriousness of the crime.

There is a problem with robberies, and the targets, a lot of them are Indian students. And the reason they pick them? Soft target, really. Chinese students are the same …they are looked at as a soft target as well. They will be compliant… We still have people being compliant, they still get a flogging, don’t understand that, but that’s been happening.

(P23 Police, Australia)