PEOPLE born overseas are less likely to be assaulted than those born in Australia, according to new Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

The national survey found that those born in Australia were more than twice as likely to be the victim of a physical assault.

It showed an assault rate of 3.6 per cent for Australian-born people, or 445,000 victims, compared with an assault rate of 1.7 per cent, or 82,000, for those born in other countries.

The new data comes as international debate rages over the extent of racism involved in the spate of attacks on Indian students.

The assault rate for people born in non-English speaking countries was 1.4 per cent.

The Crime Victimisation Survey found Victoria's assault rate of 3.3 per cent, or 142,000 victims, was above the national average of 3.1 per cent.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu seized on the report, saying it showed Victoria was not the safest state in the country, a claim regularly made by Premier John Brumby. ''Labor's policies have failed to properly protect Victorians, and violent crime is only increasing,'' he said.

Police Minister Bob Cameron said the survey confirmed the government faced a challenge to reduce Victoria's assault rate, but showed most Victorians felt safe.

''Our government has taken tough action to give police the powers they need to drive down assaults,'' he said.

The national Crime Victimisation Survey, conducted in 2008-09, asked more than 25,000 people aged 15 and older about their experience of crime.

It also found 77 per cent of female victims - as opposed to half of males - knew the offender, with just under half of the assaults occurring in the home.