A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into hate crimes has heard disturbing evidence that some international LGBTQ+ students are being targeted through dating apps, assaulted, and then extorted with threats of being “outed” to their families in countries where homosexuality remains illegal.

Since June 2024, Victoria Police have identified 95 attacks against gay and bisexual men, leading to 42 arrests, although community organisations believe many more incidents go unreported.

Victims have reportedly been pressured to pay large sums of money after attackers filmed assaults and threatened to release the footage to family members and contacts overseas.

Advocacy groups told the inquiry that fear of exposure, cultural stigma, and mistrust of authorities have prevented many victims from seeking help. The inquiry also heard concerns that some perpetrators are sharing videos online to gain attention within extremist online communities, while several offenders involved in the attacks were reportedly teenagers. Experts and community leaders are calling for stronger measures to combat hate crimes and better protect vulnerable international students and LGBTQ+ communities across Victoria.