Victoria Police have arrested another five young people over alleged attacks on men contacted through dating and social media apps, bringing the total number of arrests linked to similar incidents across the state to 47.
The latest arrests were made by detectives from the Greater Dandenong Crime Investigation Unit following 11 reported incidents in the area.
Police allege groups have posed as legitimate users of dating or social media platforms before arranging to meet men, who were then assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic abuse.
All five people arrested in the latest operation were aged between 16 and 18.
A 16-year-old was charged with offences including robbery, armed robbery, obtaining property by deception and intentionally causing injury, while an 18-year-old Dandenong man was charged with offences including kidnapping, armed robbery, attempted robbery, sexual assault and intentionally causing injury.
A second 16-year-old was charged with kidnapping, robbery, attempted robbery and intentionally causing injury.
Police also charged a 17-year-old with offences including armed robbery and sexual assault, while another 18-year-old Dandenong man was charged with robbery, sexual assault and intentionally causing injury.
Three of the five have been remanded.
More than 100 incidents reported since 2024
Victoria Police say 113 similar incidents have now been reported across the state since January 2024, resulting in 47 arrests.
Seventy-five of those incidents were reported during 2024. Further cases occurred throughout 2025, followed by 11 incidents so far in 2026.
Police have identified incidents across Victoria, with particular concentrations in local government areas covering Manningham, Casey, Hume, Moorabbin and Knox.
The latest arrests continue a disturbing pattern in which many of those accused of participating in the attacks have been teenagers or young adults.
Earlier investigations have examined cases in which gay and bisexual men were allegedly approached through dating apps, lured to meeting locations and subjected to assaults, robbery, humiliation or threats.
Some victims have also reported attacks being filmed and circulated online. Evidence presented to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry in June included accounts of victims being threatened with having footage sent to family members unless they paid money.
Inquiry examining online hate and the ‘manosphere’
The arrests come as Victoria’s Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee investigates the scale and scope of anti-LGBTIQA+ hate crimes across the state.
The inquiry is examining how anti-LGBTIQA+ influencers and hate groups communicate and recruit, including online content involving racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, far-right ideology and what its terms of reference describe as “unhealthy masculinities”.
During public hearings in June, witnesses raised concerns about the influence of the so-called “manosphere” and other extremist online spaces on young people.
Thorne Harbour Health chief executive Chad Hughes told the inquiry that some attacks were deliberate and humiliating, with victims allegedly made to repeat slurs on camera before footage was circulated online.
Experts also warned that some perpetrators appeared to be seeking status within extremist online communities by targeting people they perceived to be gay or bisexual.
The parliamentary inquiry is due to report by 1 September 2026.
Police urge victims to report attacks
Victoria Police have reiterated that attacks linked to dating platforms are treated seriously and urged anyone who has experienced similar behaviour to contact police.
Southern Metro Region Investigation and Response Acting Inspector Jarrod Dwyer said everyone should be able to meet people without fearing violence.
“This behaviour isn’t just concerning it’s a serious criminal offence. There is no place for it in our society and it will not be tolerated by police,” Dwyer said.
“Everyone has a right to go about their lives, meet new people and start a relationship in safety.”
Police have particularly stressed that reporting an incident to a dating app is not the same as reporting it to authorities.
Dating platforms cannot undertake criminal investigations, while police can request information from companies as part of their inquiries — including in cases where accounts or conversations have subsequently been blocked or deleted.
“It is never too late to make a report – so when you’re ready, please speak to us,” Dwyer said. “The more we know, the more we can do something about it and keep victims safe.”
Victoria Police also offers access to specialist LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers for community members who would prefer to report an incident with additional support.
With 113 incidents now reported in less than three years, the latest arrests reinforce concerns about the targeting of gay and bisexual men online — and the role increasingly hostile digital environments may be playing in translating anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric into real-world violence.
