Practice guide for delivering a whole-of-community response.

Preventing and addressing sexual and/or intimate partner violence against women international students.

Approximately 700,000 international students come to study in Australia each year, with the vast majority enrolling in higher education, vocational education and training, or English Language Intensive Courses (ELICOS). Women comprise almost half of Australia’s international student population (48.1% in 2023). International education provides enormous benefits for the Australian community. International students foster Australia’s rich cultural diversity, provide essential workforce skills, contribute billions to our economy and further our connections with the global community.

Although many students have positive experiences studying in Australia, unfortunately, this is not the case for all. Experiences of gender-based violence, including sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV), are common among women tertiary students,3 and international students may be vulnerable to victimisation due to a range of structural factors. Being subjected to SV/IPV can have a major impact on women international students’ mental and physical health and undermine their ability to engage in educational and social opportunities in Australia.

This is a practical guide in Preventing and addressing sexual and/or intimate partner violence against women international students.