Mobile dating applications and sexual and violent offending
The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has just released research looking at sexual and violent offending on mobile dating applications (apps).
Mobile dating apps are an established feature of the everyday lives of many young Australians, with some platforms estimated to have approximately 50 million users worldwide. However, there have been a number of high-profile cases reported in the media and significant anecdotal evidence which suggests that these new technologies may be used by some individuals to perpetrate sexual and violent offences against others.
Based on the findings from a literature review, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of sexual and violence facilitated by mobile dating applications, as well as the features of mobile dating apps that prevent and facilitate these forms of violence.
There is very little research examining the prevalence of sexual and violent offending that is facilitated by these new technologies. However, the research that is available suggests that among dating app users, experiences of sexual and violent crime (online and offline) are relatively common. This includes requests to provide sexual pictures and videos, harassing language, verbal threats and sexual assaults that occur offline.
Many of the features that make dating apps attractive to users, including their anonymity, the number of users, inclusion of location information as well as linking to other social media accounts, may actually facilitate crime against users. For example, linking of social media accounts makes it easier for offenders to collect information about potential targets and to tailor their online personas to appeal to them.
Although many of the popular dating apps include features designed to protect users, eg bilateral selection and algorithms to detect offensive messages, there is a notable lack of support provided to victims who do report offences.
