Ask for Angela: Five warning signs of a dangerous Tinder date
ONE in five women who are sexually assaulted in NSW met the man online. The rise in dating apps, such as Tinder, has led to police urging pubs and bar staff to be trained in a new protocol to help women who feel unsafe after meeting their date for the first time.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ONE in five women who are sexually assaulted in NSW met the man online.
The rise in dating apps, such as Tinder, has led to police urging pubs and bar staff to be trained in the “ask for Angela” protocol to help women who feel unsafe after meeting their date for the first time.
The protocol is the result of research by Central Metropolitan Region NSW Police analysts into sexual assault, looking at incidents in the CBD, Newtown, Kings Cross and Darlinghurst.
According to the research, these are the biggest red flags:
HE’S CHARMING
Normally, this is something you look for in date. But a study by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found that most men who assault women were described as being socially competent and authoritative members of their own social groups. Most were respected by their friends and peers.
In short, they are charming and skilled at exploiting people into building trust.
This allows them to control, isolate and surprise their victims, which creates an opportunity to offend.
HE’S NOT REALLY A STRANGER, BUT HE’S A STRANGER
In the cases reviewed by NSW police, almost half of the perpetrators were known to the victim as a ‘friend of a friend’, work colleagues or from a social media platform.
The National Crime Agency in the UK published a report in 2016 highlighting the particular danger coming from online dating because victims don’t always see their potential offenders as strangers.
The research suggests that the automated matching and online chatting builds a trust at a much faster rate.
HE WANTS A PRIVATE MEETING
This same UK report found that 41 per cent of victims and offenders chose to meet for the first time at a private residence. The red flags in these situations include:
● When the he’s made sexual communications before you’ve even met
● The face-to-face meeting happened earlier than expected
● He pressured you to have that meeting in a private place.
HE’S OLDER THAN YOU
Looking at the NSW statistics, police have recognised a trend with older men targeting younger women. For women between 16 and 30, the average age of an offender is about nine years older.
The research suggests that older men could be viewed as authoritative or trustworthy — qualities that can be used to build trust.
THERE’S A LOT OF ALCOHOL INVOLVED
A common factor in most of the cases reviewed by NSW police was the victim and perpetrator met in a licenced premises. The statistics show that 73 per cent of sexual assault cases involved alcohol.
While alcohol has always played a role in dating, the research has shown a strong link between heavy drinking by the perpetrator (more than five drinks) and severe sexual assaults.
HE HAS A HISTORY OF DRUNKEN VIOLENCE
In the 191 persons of interest reviewed in the NSW survey, more than a quarter (53) had a history of alcohol-related incidents with police in the past four years. And almost half of those (23) involved alcohol within the previous two years.