"In the first week he made a joke - I can't remember what it was - and I turned around and said, 'Well, at least I know they've done a police check on you,"' Ms Hodge said.

"And he turned around and goes, 'No, they didn't."'

In 2005, the then 15-year-old from Sydney went to Oregon as part of a year-long AFS Intercultural Program, but came home after six months needing counselling and afraid to go toschool.

Ms Hodge said her host father asked if she was a virgin. He pointed out sex stores when driving in the car.

AFS eventually moved her to a new family, at which point the first host dad began stalking her. "I would go somewhere and he would be there, I'd be at home and he'd be there, I'd be at school and he'd be there," she said.

Ms Hodge's second host family took her to the police to apply for a restraining order against her first host father.

AFS maintained that by this point Ms Hodge was not co-operating with it and returned her to Australia.

AFS Australia said in a statement that Ms Hodge's case was investigated by its volunteers, staff and local authorities in the United States and Australia - "none of which indicated any actionable matter".

"We regret that the manner in which the student's program ended was not a positive experience despite the strenuous effects all parties made to support her and her parents," it said.

"AFS prides itself on always placing the safety and security of our participants first."