Dating apps like Tinder and Grindr have been associated with an
increasing number of crimes
Reported crimes related to online dating have risen dramatically
in the last five years.
Exclusive figures for Sky News from UK police forces show that
2,054 offences were recorded between 2011 and 2016.
In 2011, 140 crimes were recorded, by 2016 that had risen to 676.
In the same period, the number of sexual crimes reported rose from
14 to 106 and violent attacks were up from 29 to 240.
Becky Crozier suffered panic attacks and depression after being
stalked by a man she met online.
After three dates she broke up but despite not revealing where she
lived he managed to track her down.
For almost 10 months she was too scared to leave her house.
"I'd get at least a text message every minute, if I didn't
reply, and if I'd turn my phone off, he'd ring me," she explained.
"It got to the point where he'd come to the town and walk
about and see if he could bump into me.
"He'd say he wanted to grab me by the throat and put me
against the wall. I was just scared that he was going to come to my house and
eventually kill me."
Blackmail, rape, murder:
Online dating dangers
Around seven million UK residents are currently registered on
dating sites, and it's estimated one in three relationships in the UK now start
online.
Sky News found crimes involving two of the biggest apps, Tinder
and Grindr, have been rising year on year.
Some users told me they've now noticed a darker side to dating
ranging from an increase in fake profiles to drug-fuelled sex parties.
Online dater Bobu Constantin says he's now more cautious about
which apps he uses: "Since I joined Grindr a couple of years ago wasn't
very bad, now it's very, it's actually extremely bad" he said.
"It's about meeting people but not only dating, it's about
sex and chemsex and drugs, and when drugs are involved and alcohol it ends
very, very badly."
Most sites now offer safety tips and while Tinder didn't respond
to Sky News' request for a comment, Grindr says it doesn't condone violent or
abusive behaviour and works with the authorities and LGBTQ communities to help
protect users.
Should we use dating apps
in relationships?
In a statement a spokesperson said: "Grindr is committed to
creating a safe environment through a system of digital and human screening
tools to help its users connect and thrive.
"Grindr encourages users to report suspicious and threatening
activities. While we are constantly improving upon this process, it is important
to remember that Grindr is an open platform."
The National Crime Agency has been monitoring violence connected
to online dating and has detected the number of rapes being reported has risen
sixfold in five years.
The NCA's head of national investigative capabilities, Sean
Sutton, told Sky News: "We know that only about 16% of all stranger rape
cases and sexual assaults in general are reported to the police so we know that
we are only dealing with the tip of the iceberg of the problem so that's why
we're keeping a good eye on it."
So how can you stay safe online? Grindr offers tips including
telling users to protect their identities, tell a friend where you're going and
who you are meeting and report any attacks or threats to law enforcement.
For Mr Sutton, meeting in public is the most important message.
"Over 70% of the stranger rape cases we see are from people
going home with their date or taking their date back to their own accommodation
on the first date," he said.
Culled
from: Sky
News
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