Independent online research by YouGov carried out on behalf of personal safety charity, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and funded by dating service, Match, has found that a third of online daters have been concerned for their personal safety when communicating online (32%) or on meeting (37%) potential partners from a dating website or app for dates or casual encounters. However, over half (56%) of those who have been concerned or have experienced an incident have never reported the incident to the dating provider. Many anecdotal dating app horror stories have appeared on the internet, but factors of theatrical writing and inconsistencies have caused their validity to be questioned. When it comes to the real cost of international dating and local dating, the statistics are still largely unknown.
Around 7.8 million adults in the UK used online dating sites in 2016*, making it the largest single way in which relationships start in Britain today. The online revolution has even allowed older dating to occur far easier especially in times when going out to meet new people is particularly challenging. Whilst the majority are without incident, with 32% of respondents feeling concerned for their safety, and over half not having reported the concern to their dating provider, Suzy Lamplugh Trust believes the number of unreported dating safety concerns could number over a million**.
According to Rachel Griffin, CEO, Suzy Lamplugh Trust:
“While dating is mostly a fun and enjoyable experience, our research shows that the majority of those who have had concerns for their safety simply block perpetrator profiles, with 15% of daters feeling their report would not be acted upon by the service provider, 12% saying there wasn’t an easy way to report the concern on the dating website, and 7% feeling too embarrassed to report it.
It is essential that dating agencies encourage and support their members to report all incidents and concerns and that the mechanism for reporting is clear and easy to follow. This not only helps the individual involved, but may also safeguard other users as online dating agencies can spot potential problems and act immediately to protect their members.”
The research also shows that people feel comfortable sharing information about themselves online, with 44% saying it was easier getting to know someone quickly on an online dating website or app compared to face-to-face. 75% of those who have seen advice on safe dating said they have read it, but over half of those who have never acted on the advice they read (53%) said they felt they were already being careful (53%) or doing everything suggested (47%).
Rachel Griffin, CEO, Suzy Lamplugh Trust added: “We would always encourage people to follow personal safety advice when talking online or meeting new people for the first time; we also encourage daters to report any concerns or issues they have to the dating service and/or the police. In the meantime, we will continue to call upon the online dating industry that is sometimes influenced by the adult industry and by extension websites similar to fulltube xxx, to ensure it takes all complaints seriously and supports users appropriately when they report concerns.
