Men set up dating profiles using ex-partner details to get back at them

Men are exploiting women online in a shocking new form of abusive behaviour. See what you can do to protect yourself.

3 min read

November 24, 2022 - 11:25AM

News Corp Australia Network

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Exclusive: Men are setting up fake dating profiles of women as a way to intimidate, humiliate and scare them, according to Australia’s online safety body.

In one incident, an ex-partner set up a profile which led to a stranger turning up to a woman’s house claiming they were in an online relationship.

In another report of gendered abuse, a female gamer received threats of rape from fellow gamers she didn’t know, saying they would find out where she lived.

These examples were among some of the 2033 complaints made by adults to the eSafety Commission’s new Adult Cyber Abuse scheme between January 23 and October 31 this year.

Almost two-thirds of victims were women.

They included reports of reputational harm (407), nasty comments and name calling (350), harassment (279), fake and impersonation accounts (136), and unwanted contact (119 reports).

A breakdown of the stats show that Tasmanian women made up 73 per cent of that state’s complaints, while in the Northern Territory the proportion was 71 per cent, in South Australia it was 69 per cent; in WA it was 68 per cent, in Queensland and the ACT it was 67 per cent, in NSW it was 64 per cent, and in Victoria it was 63 per cent.

E-safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Picture: Stuart McEvoy/The Australian.

The numbers of complaints have prompted the eSafety Commission to launch a series of free social media self-defence classes starting today, teaching people how to recognise, report and block abusive behaviour and activate in-built app features that filter out negative and distressing content.

“This type of abuse can have profound psychological consequences – especially when it’s part of a broader or sustained pattern of abuse that degrades who you are as a person,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.

“It can lead to poor mental health, a loss of confidence and reduced self-esteem, all of which can negatively affect study, employment, and relationships. In short, the impact of abuse can reverberate across many aspects of life.”

She said their research shows that one in three women surveyed have been abused online in a professional context.

Suzanne Herft has received abuse online from strangers questioning her ability and qualifications for her business. Picture: Richard Dobson.

Suzanne Herft, 46, originally from Sri Lanka, who runs her own catering business in Sydney, said her self-confidence was knocked after receiving a racially abusive message from a stranger via her Instagram business account, attacking her professionalism.

“It was long and scary and accused me of taking people’s jobs and doing things that were wrong,” Ms Herft said.

“Even when I talk about it now, I can recall how it made me feel. My brain froze and my heart was thumping.

“It made me self-doubt. These kind of messages can be crippling for your self-confidence.”

In the last financial year, eSafety investigators successfully removed 88 per cent of reports of revenge porn and cyber-bullying.

Ms Inman Grant said women should not accept that gendered online abuse is the norm. “Violence against women is preventable,” she said.

“It requires a whole-of-community approach that tackles individual attitudes and behaviours, cultural norms, and systemic failings, both online and offline.”

To report abuse or sign up for the free courses, go to eSafety.gov.au.