Yes in alot of bush and small country town areas it would be safe to walk through parks at night, but l wouldnt do it in any big city.

Then the places need a good clean out. Stop pushing immigrants into them might help.

I gave up on the guy and for only the second time on BE put somebody on my ignore list.

This tells how serious the problem of weapons is

He was not wrong. Police found seven people carrying 12 weapons, including knives, a machete and a knuckleduster, and another person was found in possession of drugs during the three-hour blitz.

Link : http://www.theage.com.au/national/we...0107-lwsv.html

I dont mind sticking my neck out at this stage.... especially given the recent track record of the very recent Indian migrants to this country. When you compare them to every other Ethnic group they seem to be experts at putting themselves in risky situations.

Why ?

No way is it this guys fault... but why didnt he seemingly know that place was dangerous, especially after getting assaulted before. I'd like to ask Indians if there is an element of naivety going on here ? Especially those Indians that have lived in overseas countries for a while ?

Probably a good catylyst for getting things cleared up.... on the other hand I dont think this attack was racial in any way. Bit hard to tell if someone is Indian in a badly lit park...... Unless he was followed I guess.

I guess when one originates from south london things like this seem second nature.

Thats why I feel I've got the right to ask.

I personally think it has nothing to do with racism. I am happy the resulting publicity/notoriety will help Melbourne's residents in the long run as the police double their efforts in making the place a little bit safer for everyone.

I think it is definitely naivety and complete ignorance of the fact just how unsafe some suburbs are. These poor kids have probably come from a safe/sheltered life back home (mugging and bodily harm is not very common as most places are so crowded and bustling until very late in the evening) so they have absolutely no idea just how different it is here.

I live in a fairly safe suburb and I never venture out after it gets dark (lol....am I paranoid or what!). I would'nt worry about this in Bangalore (although I'd never venture out alone if I were in Delhi).

Thats the kind of thing I'm hearing from Indians I know.... although the ones I know are mainly from the UK or Fiji.

Maybe somehow someway people like yourself can get this message through to newcomers.... it's all getting a tad overhyped and making the whole situation worse.

I think the reason Indians are (possibly) attacked more is because..... Many are students who have to work to fund their studies/families back home. This means they often work late at night in the service industries, they cant afford to live in the city centre so end up using public transport.

The guy that was a attacked last year at the train station at around midnight, I doubt it was because he was Indian, it was more likely because he was there at the wrong time.

They are often not very street wise, and don't know the risks. My other half works in student services in a major university in Melbourne. He has found that many come across as arrogant and rude at times, many come from wealthy families and have very different cultural experiences than westernised people. Often they carry expensive phones or laptops in dodgy areas, or they draw attention to themselves by talking loud and sounding aggressive when speaking their own language. The Austalian higher education system is a major money making industry for Australia, the Indian student community has lots of wealth and some clout back in their own country since their families are usually wealthy. This then puts pressure on the Aussie Govnt. to do something. Unfortunately the dumbed down tabloidy press here likes to fuel the flames to get a story.

Gay men and other less favorable minorities are being attacked in greater numbers but they dont get reported in the media.

You are spot on but this is really difficult for a person to understand if he/she has never lived in India. I know people will disagree and give lots of stats but take it from someone who has lived in almost all the major cities in India for considerable amount of time. There is ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE amount of random crime in India. People never get killed just because of roaming alone in a deserted park here. If somebody has to be killed, he/she will get killed in broad daylight even if surrounded by an army of security guards otherwise you can chill out at any place anytime. And that person is usually the first to know when countdown has started . So generally there is a clearer line here between who are at high risk of being victim and who aren't than in western/developed world. This I think is the reason why lots of Indians are ending up being victims of opportunistic crimes.

***FYI***

IF YOU ACTUALLY THINK AUSTRALIA IS A DANGEROUS COUNTRY in terms of person to persons crime comparing it to any other place but Australia than you are sadely mistaken.

Im assuming you havent travelled basically anywhere else on the world to come up with such a statement.

Im not sure if people think it is "cool" or something to claim that there country has a high crime rate and is dangeorous or not but I really wonder why people discuss the word Australia and Crime so much in the same sentance.

Travel abroad, come back and get a bigger perspective of the crime that you "actually" have to worry about in AUS. An utter JOKE!!

I am a newcomer myself! And the people I know (all from India) all think like myself but then they've spent nearly two decades in Oz.

The newspapers/media have managed to really create a lot scaremongering and it has had a significant effect on people.

Take me for example - when I started reading about all the crime in Melbourne (not just the recent attacks) I spent sleepless nights imagining how I might be mugged taking my dd to school or worrying about the safety of my oldest when she went to school on her own (and all this nervousness was despite the fact that my family in Melbourne time and again tried to reassure me that it was very safe). I was turning into a nervous wreck. When I actually started living here and experiencing routine life first hand the reality was obviously very different. I can therefore imagine the devastating effect the media is having on the multi-billion dollar education industry - if I were a parent reading this in India then I would most definitely not let my kids study in Melbourne,..

Meanwhile, back in peaceful India...

I cannot believe what I am hearing.

Immigrants= crime (???)

Some of the posts above are complete bullshit. Nothing but racism.
I wonder what the origins of so called “locals” in Australia (your great great whoever)??? pomies?

I am certainly not here to give a history lecture but every time I hear a punk barking against other cultures other than his/hers makes sick.
No one is perfect. You’ll have good and the bad in ALL backgrounds.
And there is a reason WHY immigrants are in OZ?
You NEED them. Simple is that.

We need a lot more as well.... especially Indians. A major trading partner of the future.

So here here.

What do we need them for? To fill up our cities to bursting point with more people whose inputs are imported goods and whose outputs are landfill, air pollution and sewage?