Attacks targeting gay and bisexual men
We have been made aware of distressing violent attacks targeting gay and bisexual men arranged through dating apps. These are serious homophobic crimes. Media coverage has included disturbing video footage shared online by the perpetrators. We stand with the men who have been targeted and hope they receive the support they need. Gay and bisexual men should be able to meet, connect and live openly without fear.
These attacks show that homophobia has not gone away. LGB people continue to be targeted for our sexual orientation through physical violence, online harassment and outing threats used to intimidate and manipulate us. The men targeted here were arranging to meet through online meeting apps.
The deliberate use of online meeting apps to lure and target men shows how prejudice and technology can combine to facilitate harm.
We are concerned that extremist views, whether political or religious and from any end of the ideological spectrum, may also be contributing to these crimes. Any inquiry must follow the evidence wherever it leads, without predetermined conclusions about the source.
This issue cannot be viewed in isolation. Australia continues to face increased levels of violence, particularly noting women as victims of violence. Digital platforms are increasingly being used to identify and target victims. These patterns require broader examination in any discussion of community safety.
Two different approaches are now emerging at state level:
New South Wales appears to be rushing legislation in response to these events. The impulse to act is understandable. Careful drafting is essential. Laws made in haste often produce unintended consequences.
Victoria has established an inquiry. However, its framing focuses heavily on far-right influences without fully examining whether other ideological or religious motivations may also be driving these crimes.
Gay and bisexual men are a small minority within the broader community. Violence directed at us can therefore have a disproportionate impact.
If parts of the LGBTQIA+ acronym are not being targeted by this violence, their inclusion in any review or legislation lacks a clear basis. At the same time, others in the community may experience online or app-facilitated violence because of different personal characteristics or attributes yet fall outside the current scope. The inquiry must be logically coherent in defining who is included and why.
The focus should be on the drivers of the violence, including how online meeting apps are being used to lure and target victims, extremist motivations where present, and wider trends in community violence including violence against women.
These men were targeted because of who they are. That is the starting point for everything that follows. Gay and bisexual men deserve equal protection under the law. So does every woman, every vulnerable person, and every member of the community.