A new report about the emerging threat of sexual assault linked to online dating reveals that the number of people who report being raped on a first date with someone they met online has increased by more than 450% in five years.
The report, compiled by the UK’s National Crime Agency states that there were 184 online dating-related rape allegations in the UK in 2014, up from 33 in 2009.
Considering the chronic issue of underreporting sexual assault, the actual number of crimes is estimated to be significantly greater.
Of the cases reported, 85% of the victims were female with 15% male. Furthermore, 42% of female victims were in the 20-29 age groups, whilst 24% were from the 40-49 age category.
In 43% of cases where the information was available, the first face-to-face meeting between the victim and the offender took place within one week of their initial contact online.
An unnerving trend was that of the cases, 41% started in a residence.
The report states:
“Early analysis indicates that the online dating phenomenon has produced a new type of sexual offender. These offenders are less likely to have criminal convictions, but instead, exploit the ease of access and arm-chair approach to dating websites.
“This is aided by potential victims not thinking of them as strangers, but someone they have got to know”.
It continues to identify disturbing behavioural trends, saying:
“Online relationships tend to progress more quickly than those offline, as people feel freer in the anonymous online world to be more open and emotionally honest. Research has shown that asking questions, looking at photographs, checking social media profiles and even using emoticons also increase feelings of trust and closeness with the other person. The result of this, however, is that individuals may then have a sense of being at a more advanced stage in the relationship by the time they meet the other person face-to-face and no longer regard them as a stranger, even though it is the first time they are meeting.
“The higher level of trust can lead to individuals taking more risks than they otherwise would, thereby putting themselves in more vulnerable situations”.
