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August 2012 MEDIA RELEASE
REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SAFETY
The Council of International students Australia (CISA) welcomes the report published b our founding
member organi!ation International Student "epartment # $ewcastle %ni&ersit Students' Association
(IS" # $%SA) on &iolence and abuse against international students(
$%SA's )resident *eather +ichards has also been the ,ice )resident of CISA since its inaugural ear
and is currentl dealing with national issues as -elfare officer of CISA( .Safet has been a concern for
international students for ears( This is a problem across the countr with the report highlighting the
need for more information and a communit response/0 said Aleem $i!ari/ $ational )resident of CISA(
The pilot sur&e that too1 place o&er a ear collected hard statistical data directl from 123 students in
$ewcastle( The report is based on 123 incidents related to &erbal abuse and 40 related to phsical
abuse( It also helped in identifing the specific locations and tpes of incidents that impact the safet of
students such that the authorities and the institutions can ta1e necessar action to impro&e the safet of
students(
.These high numbers of incidents o&er a period of one ear is a big concern for the international
student communit0/ said 5r $i!ari(
.6amilies of international student put in a lot of trust and faith in the education pro&iders as well as the
local go&ernment/ belie&ing that their children would be safe and well loo1ed after while the are
completing their education here in Australia/0 added 5r $i!ari(
CISA will be wor1ing with all the international student organi!ations to implement similar sur&e tool
at their institutions to ha&e a better understanding of safet concerns facing the international student
communit(
5edia Contacts
Aleem $i!ari
$ational )resident
0414 742 329
*eather +ichards
-elfare 8fficer
0424439332