New research from BYU shows trends in sexual violence from dating apps might be from violent predators using dating apps as “hunting grounds” to find vulnerable victims. (Tero Vesalainen, Shutterstock)
Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
PROVO — New research from Brigham Young University found that violent sexual predators use dating apps as “hunting grounds” for vulnerable victims.
When Julie Valentine, a BYU College of Nursing associate dean and forensic nurse, noticed an uptick in rapes where the victim met the perpetrator on a dating app, she decided to do some research to find out if there were any differences between rapes facilitated by a dating app and rapes perpetrated by an acquaintance.
“Our answer to our question ‘Are these rapes different?’ was a resounding yes,” Valentine said. “They are different in many concerning ways.”
The study reviewed 3,413 sexual assault medical forensic examination charts from 2017 to 2020 in Utah and found 1,968 instances where the perpetrator of the assault was an acquaintance. For about 14% of the acquaintance sexual assaults, an assault occurred during the initial in-person meeting after first connecting through a dating app.
The research showed a trend of increased violence in sexual assaults for those who met on a dating app. Valentine said this study was one of the largest of its kind, and the findings were much more disturbing than anticipated.
“One of our most startling results is the high amount of strangulation. We found that in these cases about a third of the victims were strangled and raped. That’s very concerning; strangulation is a high risk of lethality,” Valentine said. Victims also suffered more injuries in both the genital and non-genital areas.
The data showed there were higher rates of men and college students who experienced sexual assault from meeting on a dating app and about 60% of victims self-reported mental illness.
Across the board, sexual assaults happened on all dating apps, and no specific app stood out above the rest in terms of concern or danger, the study says.
From the data, the researchers concluded that some violent sexual predators use dating apps as a method to find and exploit vulnerable people.
Valentine said the responsibility of making online dating safer lies on the shoulders of the creators of dating apps, not on those who use them.
What I don’t want the takeaway to be is ‘don’t use dating apps.’ Dating apps are great! … The message is: we need to work together as a society to eliminate sexual violence, and part of that is also making dating apps safer.
—Julie Valentine, BYU researcher
Increasing safety measures including background checks, vetting profiles, clearly stating the definition of sexual assault, creating easier methods to report predators, and providing resources for victims are all steps dating app companies can take to make the platforms safer for users.
“What I don’t want the takeaway to be is ‘don’t use dating apps.’ Dating apps are great! It’s the No. 1 way couples meet,” Valentine said. “That’s not the message we are trying to share. The message is: We need to work together as a society to eliminate sexual violence, and part of that is also making dating apps safer.”
For anyone who has experienced sexual assault, Valentine suggests reporting it and going to the emergency room to get healthcare from a forensic nurse. After making sure their health is OK, there are many resources survivors can lean on such as The Refuge, the Rape Recovery Center, and even a 24-hour sexual violence crisis line made by Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 1-888-421- 1100
“To eliminate dating and sexual and domestic violence, we need to believe survivors and encourage them to report,” Valentine said.
When survivors express their experiences to family and endure questioning or doubts or blame, they are discouraged from reporting the crime to formal authorities. Instead, Valentine hopes people will start believing survivors, telling them they are there for them, and helping them find the resources they need to heal.
“If we can create a culture where individuals feel comfortable coming forward to report, then we can provide resources to the individuals, we can identify perpetrators, we can provide therapy and resources to the perpetrators, and decrease sexual violence in Utah,” she said .
Earlier this year, state lawmakers proposed a bill to require dating apps to provide safety notifications and disclosures. The bill, HB352, passed the House but did not receive a final vote in the Senate before the end of the session. Valentine called the bill “groundbreaking legislation” and said she is hopeful legislators will pass it next year to make Utah a safer place.
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Cassidy Wixom covers Utah County communities and is the evening breaking news reporter for KSL.com.
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