Victoria Police has arrested more than 30 people over a series of attacks on mostly gay men using dating apps and social media.
Several groups of young males aged between 13 and 20 have been posing as legitimate users of the platforms to lure men into meeting them.
The victims are then allegedly assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic comments.
Hear more from Friday’s headline’s on this episode of The Briefing:
Victoria Police told the ABC perpetrators used “mainly Grindr” but also Scruff and Snapchat to find their victims.
Some incidents have involved victims being filmed with the videos posted on social media accounts.
Superintendent Carolyn Deer said, “Victoria Police is committed to the safety and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ communities and we take any report of this behaviour extremely seriously and investigate.”
More than 30 arrests have been made since October last year.
One 16-year-old boy was arrested for intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and possessing a prohibited weapon without lawful excuse.
A 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy were arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery. Two of the boys were charged and bailed to face court. The other boy was released pending further enquiries.
Superintendent Carolyn Deer said, “Everyone has a right to go about their lives, meet new people and start a relationship in safety.”
“We know this has been a distressing situation for the victims involved, and these arrests show just how serious we are in holding offenders to account.”
If you or someone you know has experienced this behaviour after using a dating app or social media you can make a report to police.
If you would prefer to speak to a Victoria Police LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer, visit LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.