Whether you are on a dating app or meeting people in person, dating can be scary sometimes. Not only do you must watch out with your heart, but you even have to protect yourself when you meet new people.
We all know the best way to stay safe when meeting someone for the first time, but do people really follow that advice? In a new study, Security.org asked over 960 people about their dating concerns, the security techniques they use when dating, and how much information they want to share when meeting someone new. Here are some of the findings.
Dating Problems
With so many people using dating apps to find love, sometimes meeting in person for the first time can be very stressful. There are risks related to encounters like these, but how concerned should people be for their safety?
The study revealed that 82% of ladies surveyed thought about their safety when dating, compared to only 48% of men. The stark contrasts between the ways men and ladies view the hazards of dating do not end there. Nearly 7 in 10 women were concerned about sexual harassment – a difficulty that was of the greatest concern to female respondents – compared to less than 1 in 5 men. The biggest fear of more than half of the men surveyed is fraud (51.8%). Women (46.5%) were also virtually three times more likely to worry about anesthetic than men (16.6%). The following is Top 10 dating sites!
Men (25.2%) and ladies (39.9%) agreed that dating a foreigner felt the least safe option. Yet 1 in 3 women report feeling insecure when meeting someone online.
Safety and Dating Tips
Research can be the best defense when trying to decide whether to date. Finding relevant information about the person or finding a safe place to meet them for the first time is essential.
Surveys show that no matter who someone chooses to date, women are more likely than men to research potential partners. When dating strangers, women are 23 percentage points more likely to investigate who their date is. Overall, approximately 3 in 4 respondents said they opened their date’s social media profiles.
Some of the top dating safety techniques of those surveyed were choosing a public place for a date (65%), telling someone a few date (62.5%), and giving someone a date location (55%).
The study went as far as to disclose that people also researched where their date worked, reduced alcohol intake during the date, and even researched the criminal history of their date. More than 1 in 3 women also carry a weapon of self-defense, such as pepper spray.
But what makes people feel most secure when meeting new people? Women prefer to do double or group dates (61.6%), avoid consuming alcohol (60.7%), and choose public places (55.8%). Men also avoid drinking alcohol (38.3%) and like public places to have dates (36.1%), but they also feel most snug telling someone where the date is going to take place (28.2%).
Risky Dating Business
Not everybody has the best intentions. When getting to know someone, the FBI has guidelines that people should consider early in a relationship to protect them from blackmail, blackmail, or financial loss to scammers masquerading as romantic interest.
According to research, some of the things the FBI advises them to avoid are divulging their current residence, sending sexually suggestive messages or nude photos, and discussing pay or sending money to someone they do not know.
How many people take the risk and supply this information to potential suitors? Men are more likely to divulge where they live (59%), but women are more likely to communicate with their date offline if the person asks them to (35.3%). When it comes to sending sexual messages or photos, men are roughly 10 percentage points more likely than women to do so. One in 3 men and 1 in 4 women even believe that somebody they dated online cheated or scammed them.
How To Remove Yourself From Unsafe Dates
Nearly 31% of men and 13% of ladies feel insecure on a date but stay until it is over, according to the study. However, about 6% of respondents called the police on a date because they felt insecure.
How can you safely escape from an uncomfortable situation? The most popular exit strategies of those surveyed were making excuses to leave (71.4%), leaving abruptly (37.7%), and calling friends to meet (27.8%). In more extreme cases, respondents had to order a drink and signal to the bartender that they needed help or an bystander to help (10.3% each).
Taking a few of these precautions cannot only save someone from a horrible date but can even save a life. There’s nothing wrong with ending a date because you feel uncomfortable. Just pay attention to how the person makes you feel and act accordingly.
About the Author:
Rajhu S Gorai is a Passionate Stock and Commodity Researcher. Travel addict and Photographer. Owner at Leading Business Blog. Connect him LinkedIn.