Victoria Police have told a community forum that no new app-based hate crime attacks have been reported in the state since October 2025.
Police have made more than 42 arrests across 2024 and 2025 in connection with a string of attacks targeting gay and bisexual men. Some investigations remain ongoing, with not all alleged offenders yet identified.
In a number of cases, the attacks were filmed and later shared on social media. Some of the alleged perpetrators are believed to be as young as 13.
Victoria Police said offenders primarily used Grindr to target victims, along with Scruff and Snapchat. Similar incidents have also been reported in other Australian states.
Over the weekend, Thorne Harbour Health hosted a community forum at Melbourne gay venue The Laird to discuss the attacks and the Victorian Inquiry into Anti-LGBTIQA+ Hate Crimes. The inquiry has been established to examine violence against the LGBTQIA+ community, the state’s current and future response, and the support available to victims.
Speaking at the forum, a spokesperson from Victoria Police’s Priority and Safer Communities Division said the apparent drop in new app-based attacks was likely linked to repeat offenders now facing court action and therefore being less able to offend again.
Police believe the absence of new reported cases is partly due to the arrests made over the past two years, as well as increased public attention, legal consequences and wider awareness generated by community campaigning and official responses.
It was also made clear that the figure relates only to hate crimes involving gay and bisexual men allegedly lured from dating apps, and does not include other anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes that may have been reported.
At the same time, concerns remain that many incidents of anti-LGBTQIA+ violence and harassment still go unreported.
