Why there has been a spate of homophobic attacks by people using fake dating profiles

Why there has been a spate of homophobic attacks by people using fake dating profiles

Police in Victoria and New South Wales have recorded a spate of violent homophobic assaults by people using fake dating profiles. An RMIT expert explains why this is happening and how LGBT people can keep safe.

Professor Rob Cover, School of Media and Communication

"Gay-bashing has happened globally for many decades. While it has declined significantly, it has never quite gone away. Rather than stalking beats or the footpaths outside gay venues, the gay bashers of the 2020s use fake dating profiles to find their victims.   

"It has long been known that some perpetrators feel less guilt if they see their victim as ‘less human’.  This puts all minorities at extra risk, and it is something that may be exacerbated by the anti-minority political rhetoric used during elections and under the current United States administration.    

"The risk is fairly significant because meeting someone through a dating app is most often a ‘solo’ activity, meaning a user might unwittingly be meeting an overpowering group of bashers, scammers or thieves.  Those with malicious or violent intent are obviously increasingly aware of this.   

"The risks won’t stop the use of dating apps and services, but there is a need for users to be careful when meeting someone they don’t know.  Some general safety advice includes meeting at a public setting, exchanging phone numbers, buying your own drinks, and not rushing into anything."

Rob Cover is Professor of Digital Communication and Director of the RMIT Digital Ethnography Research Centre.  He has led ARC projects investigating generational differences of LGBTQ+ cultures in Australia, and on Australian queer screens.

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General media enquiries: RMIT External Affairs and Media, 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au

 

30 May 2025

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30 May 2025

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