Baiting

Baiting refers to deliberately luring or provoking LGBTQ+ people, frequently as a setup for harm. A common form is gay baiting, sometimes carried out through dating apps or public meeting spots, where an attacker feigns romantic or sexual interest in order to isolate a victim and then expose, humiliate, rob, or physically assault them. This is a recognized pattern of anti-LGBTQ hate-motivated violence and overlaps with what is often called gay bashing. Advocacy and legal organizations such as GLAD and the Trevor Project document these tactics and support survivors. The word baiting is also used more loosely to describe provocation or harassment aimed at someone because of their identity. It should not be confused with queerbaiting, a separate marketing term.