International students `distrust` police

Many international students in Victoria do not report cases of assault to the police
because they don't trust them, an inquiry has been told.
A recent spate of assaults on Indian students prompted Premier John Brumby to visit
India on a mission to repair Victoria's reputation as a safe place for international
students.
But Indian student representatives told a state parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday
they did not feel protected by police.
The Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) and the Australian Federation
of International Students (AFIS) both gave evidence to the inquiry on crime against
students in public places.
FISA president Amit Menghani said he received at least one assault report per day
from students.
"They don't go to the cops because they think that nothing is going to come of it,
and that is a fact," he told the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee hearing.
Mr Menghani said if students' complaints were taken up by police many did not
receive any feedback on how matters were progressing.
"They have lost the confidence within the system that the system is really taking
care of it," he said.
AFIS honorary president Wesa Chau said often students did not report incidents to
police because they are afraid it may affect their visas and in their own countries
they did not trust police.
"They feel that police don't really take notice of them," she said.
Ms Chau called for more police on public transport and better lighting at train
stations.
She said public transport hours should be extended so international students who
work late can get home.
The inquiry will hold further public hearings across Victoria before reporting to
parliament in August.