Against the backdrop of multiplying violent robberies being perpetrated on Indian students in Australia, particularly in the city of Melbourne (pop. 3.9 million) which hosts half of the 95,000 students studying in Oz, the government, police and institutional managements have devised a safety code for ethnic minority students. Some of the recommended safety measures include:
• Commute prudently. Students should study the safety installations on train and subway cars, which include alarm buttons or tabs that alert authorities to injury, sickness and other emergencies. Moreover by riding in the front of the trains and buses, students have more immediate access to conductors or drivers. In subways, sitting with your back to the wall allows you to be more aware of fellow commuters.
• Don’t display expensive electronic equipment. While commuting, students should conceal laptops in backpacks and resist listening to music on headphones. Wearing headphones is especially dangerous when walking to and from subway stations, as it may attract thieves in lonely suburban areas, and you won’t hear them approaching.
• Utilise alternative modes of transport. Students could travel by bicycle, a popular mode of transport in Australia. Riding a bike is quick, convenient and relatively safe in Australian cities. Many university campuses have bike co-ops, and inexpensive second-hand bicycles are readily available online or in used-goods stores.
• Avail security services. Most colleges and all universities offer security services to students traveling within or just beyond campus limits. Shuttle buses, security cars and escorts are common, and can be pre-arranged with a simple phone call. “I feel safe on campus because I use the security facilities available,” says Delhi-born Kastori Hingorani, a doctorate student at the Australian National University, Canberra. “I wouldn’t walk alone at night, even if I wasn’t a woman of Indian descent. Moreover I believe that 80 percent of campus violence reported is alcohol consumption-related,” she says, recommending prudence, if not abstinence.