Call to ban violent criminals from dating apps in Australia

Massive sexual assault stemming from dating apps has been spotlighted this week in Australia, with advocates and governments working together to bring about reform.

Australia’s Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland said the government would work with states and territories to take necessary measures.

“Dating apps will be well aware that the Albanian government not only takes this very seriously, but intends to take necessary action,” she told ABC Radio.

Rowland said “incentive regulation” could be used to change behavior, but the possibility of further reforms, such as changes to the law, was not ruled out.

“If the situation does not improve, it is within the Government’s purview to ensure that we do everything we can to keep Australians safe online.”

Asked whether dating apps are doing enough to root out criminal activity, the minister said that while some apps have their own prerequisites, they are not consistent across platforms. Stated.

“It’s important to hear from the police, especially when there are complaints,” she said.

Rowland will hold an online dating safety roundtable on Wednesday after calls for reform grew louder last month when a New South Wales man was charged with the murder of a woman he met online.

Australian police claim he had a long history of domestic violence.

The incident sparked calls for reform to stop people with known violent backgrounds from registering on dating apps.

Three-quarters of Australian Crime Institute survey respondents had been victims of some form of sexual violence online in the past five years.

A third have experienced face-to-face abuse from someone they met on an app, with 27% reporting instances of sexual assault or coercion such as drink spikes.

Social Services Minister Amanda Richworth, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, state and territory ministers and representatives of dating apps like Match, Bumble and Grinder will all be present.

Law enforcement professionals are also invited.

Roundtable discussions will address efforts to prevent abuse of online dating services, support users who experience harm, and make online dating safer.

This includes reporting processes, support for victims of abuse, policies to hold perpetrators accountable, and more than 3.1 million Australians using dating apps in 2021.