Nearly three in four dating app users have experienced some form of sexual violence, including sexual harassment and online stalking, with a new report identifying what can increase the risk of abuse. The Australian Institute of Criminology report published on Thursday showed online dating platforms such as Tinder, Hinge, and OKCupid had a “high prevalence of sexual harassment, aggression and violence victimisation”. A total of 73 per cent of 9987 people surveyed indicating they had experienced some form of sexual violence.
Using dating apps and more than one platform at a time increased the likelihood of experiencing dating app‐facilitated sexual violence such as sexual harassment, abusive language and online stalking. Users who linked their profile to a social media account were also more likely to experience both online and in-person violence, with the report saying the connection can be “exploited by perpetrators to access personal information and to contact, harass and stalk”. “This may be because these other communication platforms have poor guardianship and increase the concealability of offending,” it said, with the platforms offering lower levels of safety features.
Other behaviours included people who used more than one platform at the same time, users who listed their sexual or relationship preferences on their profile, and people who paid to use their services. While the report couldn’t state the exact reason why paid users appeared to experience t.