{"id":22715,"date":"2026-02-17T21:11:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=22715"},"modified":"2026-02-17T21:11:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:11:28","slug":"role-of-far-right-manosphere-in-homophobic-attacks-on-men-to-be-investigated-in-victoria-victorian-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=22715","title":{"rendered":"Role of far-right \u2018manosphere\u2019 in homophobic attacks on men to be investigated in Victoria | Victorian politics"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The role of \u201cfar-right manosphere influencers\u201d in fuelling homophobic attacks where victims were lured through fake dating app profiles before being assaulted is set to be investigated by a Victorian parliamentary inquiry.<\/p>\n

Aiv Puglielli, the Greens\u2019 equality spokesperson, will on Wednesday move a motion calling on the upper house\u2019s legal and social issues committee to investigate the scale of such crimes, as well as the state\u2019s current response and support available to victims.<\/p>\n

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It follows what Puglielli described as a \u201cdisturbing\u201d and \u201cterrifying\u201d series of attacks targeting gay and bisexual men across several states and territories since 2024. In some instances, videos of the attacks have been recorded and posted on social media.<\/p>\n

As of October 2024, 35 people had been arrested in relation to such incidents, Victoria police confirmed in a statement to Guardian Australia.<\/p>\n

Police said the alleged offenders \u2013 most aged between 13 and 20 \u2013 had used fake profiles on dating apps to lure their victims<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe victims are then allegedly assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic comments,\u201d a police spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is absolutely no place for this type of concerning behaviour in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past year, Guardian Australia has reported on attacks on men organised through dating apps<\/a>, with Victoria police confirming that anti-LGBTQ+ influencers had been promoting \u201cmethods of attack\u201d online.<\/p>\n

Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/sub><\/a><\/p>\n

During the June 2025 sentencing of a 19-year-old Victorian man who met and assaulted two people after speaking to them on the gay dating app Grindr<\/a>, the court heard he admitted to police he had been inspired by vigilante-style videos he had seen on TikTok.<\/p>\n

Puglielli said the inquiry would examine how influencers sharing far-right, misogynistic and homophobic \u201calpha male\u201d content operate online, and how to protect young people from their messaging.<\/p>\n

He alleged some perpetrators, often very young men, had been \u201cgroomed and radicalised by far-right manosphere influencers\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is dark-corner-of-the-internet stuff, largely going on in the shadows,\u201d Puglielli said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really have to get to the bottom of these issues. How are people being radicalised? What type of content are they consuming that eventually leads them to commit these terrible acts?\u201d<\/p>\n

Puglielli said such online networks were growing \u201cquicker than our laws seem to be able to keep up\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a queer person and as a member of parliament, I don\u2019t have all the answers,\u201d he said. \u201cBut complexity can\u2019t be an excuse to ignore the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Puglielli said it was his expectation that dating apps would be called to appear before the inquiry, alongside policymakers and police.<\/p>\n

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He added that the inquiry could make recommendations to the commonwealth if matters fall outside the state\u2019s jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

The motion is expected to pass with support from MPs from the Legalise Cannabis and Animal Justice parties, as well as the Labor government. Guardian Australia understands negotiations were continuing between the Greens and Labor over the final wording of the inquiry\u2019s terms of reference on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

Under the Greens\u2019 proposed terms of reference, the committee would be required to report by 1 September, giving the government enough time to respond before the caretaker period ahead of the November state election.<\/p>\n

The equality minister, Vicki Ward, said the government supported the inquiry and considered any violence or hatred towards LGBTIQA+ people unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cHate crimes cause real harm and fear. No one should ever be targeted for who they are or who they love,\u201d Ward said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will continue to use every lever available to prevent and respond to this violence and ensure all Victorians can live safely, wholly and freely. I look forward to the learnings that come from this inquiry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ward said the government had strengthened anti-vilification and bail laws and had criminalised \u201cposting and boasting\u201d, while LGBTIQA+ community members also met with the premier\u2019s anti-hate taskforce last year.<\/p>\n

Police stressed that reporting incidents to a dating app was \u201cnot the same as reporting to police\u201d and encouraged any victims to come forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want victims to know it is never too late to make a report \u2013 so when you\u2019re ready, please speak to us,\u201d their spokesperson said.<\/p>\n