Supporting International Students. Preventing Harm. Inspiring Hope.
Together, We Are Australia.
The Invisibility of Victimisation
A Comprehensive Analysis of Crime and Exploitation Affecting International Students in Australia
720,720 International Students in Australia
(April 2025 Snapshot)
This massive cohort is a cornerstone of Australia’s economy and culture, yet they are statistically invisible in national crime data.
The Data Deficit: A Systemic Exclusion
Australia’s primary tool for measuring crime, the ABS Crime Victimisation Survey (CVS), is designed in a way that systemically excludes the vast majority of international students, creating a critical data blind spot.
Exclusion 1: The ‘Overseas Residents’ Rule
The survey only includes ‘usual residents’ of Australia. Many students on temporary visas do not meet the strict 12-month residency requirement and are therefore not counted.
Exclusion 2: ‘Non-Private Dwellings’
The survey explicitly excludes people living in university residences, boarding houses, and similar accommodations where a large number of international students live.
Result: The ‘Dark Figure of Crime’
The true scale of crime against international students is unknown and unreported in official national statistics.
Quantifying the Invisibility
What if international students were included? By applying the standard crime rates from the ABS 2023-24 survey to the 2025 student cohort, we can estimate the scale of this hidden victimisation.
Any Personal Crime
28,108
Estimated Victims
Physical Assault
12,252
Estimated Victims
Threatened Assault
15,135
Estimated Victims
Impact on National Crime Statistics (Hypothetical)
This chart shows how national victim counts would increase if international students were included. The data demonstrates a significant undercounting of crime in Australia.
Unique Vulnerabilities & Exploitation
International students are often targeted for specific types of exploitation that are underreported due to a powerful deterrent: the fear of visa repercussions.
Prevalence of Wage Theft
Research indicates that a staggering number of students experience wage theft, often earning far below the minimum wage. Fear of being reported for working over visa-stipulated hours prevents them from seeking help.
Top Exploitation Risks
Financial Scams & Money Muling
Targeted by criminals to transfer illegal funds, turning victims into unwitting accomplices.
Housing Exploitation
Facing rental scams, illegal overcrowding, and exploitation by landlords with little recourse.
Sexual Harassment
A severely underreported crime due to cultural barriers and fear of not being believed or visa consequences.
How Australia Compares Globally
Australia’s dual exclusion method is an outlier compared to other major international education destinations, which have more inclusive data collection practices.
| Country | Includes Students in Survey? | Includes University Housing? |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No (Residency Rule) | No (NPD Rule) |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
| Canada | Yes (Long-term non-permanent) | Partially |
| United States | Yes (All residents) | Yes |
Recommendations for Reform
Urgent, actionable steps are needed to make international student victims visible and ensure their safety.
1. Reform Data Collection
Include students in the ABS Crime Victimisation Survey by amending residency and housing rules.
2. Mandate Reporting
Require universities to report standardized data on exploitation incidents within their student populations.
3. Create a Firewall
Legislate a “migration firewall” to ensure reporting crime does not automatically trigger visa reviews.
4. Raise Awareness
Fund multi-lingual campaigns to inform students of their rights and the new protections.
Empowering International Students. Preventing Harm. Building Safer Communities.
We support international students through some of the most difficult moments of their lives in Australia. Whether they’ve experienced abuse, exploitation, discrimination, or violence, we provide trauma recovery, legal support, emergency financial aid, and peer-led education to help them rebuild with dignity.
We believe that no one should face harm alone — and that safety, justice, and human dignity are rights for every student, not privileges.
Our Focus Areas:
🛡️ Trauma Recovery & Counselling
⚖️ Legal Aid & Advocacy
🎓 Education on Rights & Safety
🤝 Peer Support & Community Engagement
💸 Emergency Financial Assistance
Registered Charity & Gift Fund:
We Are Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). All donations made to our Gift Fund go directly toward harm prevention programs that support international student victims of crime.
We Are Australia Foundation Limited
Suite 214/585 Little Collins St
MELBOURNE Victoria 3000
+61421 439 379
info@weareaustralia.org