Jack Jacobs thought “gay bashing” was over in the early 90s.
Groups of men who savagely beat-up gay males. Often luring them to a spot on the guise of a “meet-up” or “hook-up”, only to set upon them in a violent, bloodied assault.
It’s a mistake that almost cost him his life.
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In February 2020, following a break-up with a boyfriend, the then 24-year-old Melburnian got on the gay dating app Grindr, hoping to meet someone new. A common practice for the heartbroken.
“I was going to go out clubbing. But it was a cold night, I was on the tram and I thought ‘could I be bothered?’ I don’t know. I started talking to someone out of boredom,” Jacobs told 7NEWS.com.au.
Jack Jacobs has spoken about being viciously gay bashed in Melbourne in 2020. Credit: Supplied He continued: “They were like ‘do you want to meet up and go get some food?’ and I said, ‘yeah sure, no problem’. So, I met him.”
Jack, who was 24 at the time, said the profile picture matched.
But the man looked older in the photo, maybe 22.
“When I met him. You could tell straight away he wasn’t there to meet up,” Jack explained.
“All of a sudden, I see eight or nine people running at me.”
Jack was violently assaulted, to the point of trauma amnesia.
He remembers protecting his head as the gang of youths stomped on his face, neck, and wrists.
Jack, following the attack in Melbourne. Credit: Supplied In a haze, he managed to get away.
“I ran towards a car with two people getting into it. They just looked at me, probably horrified, because I was so bloodied. They got in their car and drove off,” Jack said.
“Then, I kept running and got to the park. I dialed 000 and a woman came-up to me and asked, ‘are you ok?’
“She stayed with me until I got into the ambulance.”
Jack was rushed to emergency.
“They thought potential neck injuries as well as broken wrists because they had stomped on them so badly.
“They were like balloons.”
Jack, receiving treatment in hospital. Credit: Supplied Following a number of tests, he was discharged.
As he attempted to get out of his hospital bed, he faceplanted after his knee gave away.
A problem he still deals with today.
Despite being openly gay, Jack still struggled with the shame of the assault.
“There was the truth about the Grindr stuff. Then I have to remember who I gave told what. The story to the family and friends was I was walking at night, then I just got jumped,” he said.
“That was the hard part. I was lying to friends and family because I was too ashamed (to say I was using a hook-up app). “
Jack gave a statement to the police.
But after finding out a police report hadn’t been filed following his testimony, he didn’t follow it up, admitting he found it “too difficult.” Instead, he has been focused on his own healing for the past five years.
“Generally, I’ve moved on. I don’t trust the world. I don’t use Grindr. I won’t even invite people to my apartment. I’ve been single. I’m definitely not a trusting person anymore,” Jack explained.
“The assault delayed everything, definitely.”
Jack said he does worry about the uptick in homophobia he’s noticed.
“I think it is getting worse and worse,” Jack said.
“There’s too much voice to the hate at the moment.”