Authorities in Australia have confirmed an ongoing investigation into a reported historical sexual assault allegation linked to an incident said to have occurred in Melbourne in 2010, following claims made by Australian actor Ruby Rose involving American pop star Katy Perry.
Victoria police stated that detectives from the Melbourne Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) are examining the allegation, which is understood to relate to an incident at a licensed venue in Melbourne’s central business district.
“Police have been told the incident occurred at a licensed premises in Melbourne’s CBD,” the statement said, adding that the matter remains under active investigation and that further comment would not be provided at this stage.
The development follows a social media post by Ruby Rose, in which she alleged that Katy Perry assaulted her at a Melbourne nightclub more than a decade ago. The post surfaced in response to unrelated content involving the pop star and quickly drew widespread attention online.
In response, representatives for Katy Perry strongly denied the allegation, describing it as entirely untrue and harmful. A statement from her team said the claims circulating on social media were “categorically false” and characterised them as “dangerous reckless lies,” adding that the singer has been unfairly named in repeated public allegations that have previously been disputed.
Rose has also indicated on social media that she had taken steps to formally report the matter to police while in Melbourne, later stating that she had completed her statements and was no longer able to comment further due to the ongoing investigation process. She described the development as part of standard police procedure and suggested it would allow her to move forward privately.
Publicly available accounts suggest the two were present in Melbourne around August 2010, including at events in the city’s central nightlife district, though no official findings have been released linking the allegation to any confirmed incident.
As the investigation continues, authorities have reiterated that no further details will be disclosed at this stage, and all parties remain subject to due process while the matter is assessed.