Sometimes people find the perfect match through a dating app and sometimes those matchmaking apps give them nightmares. A woman from London has seen the dark side of dating through social media and now she is not alone on this list.
A recent survey has shown that 57 percent of women file complaints after feeling harassed via online dating sites. While the research revealed that 39 percent of Tinder users and 38 percent of OkCupid users have complained about harassment, a 23-year-old young woman Samantha dealt with a weird man named Michael, whom she found on another site Bumble.
When Samantha said 'Hello' to Michael, he replied with a message where he attached a picture of another woman in underwear. According to The Tab, Michael wrote that he could meet Samantha if she could make an effort in the gym to become like the woman in the picture.
The chat turned into harassment when Michael kept on hurting Samatha's feelings through his messages. The annoying man wrote to Samantha: "So I'm not gonna lie I'm a 10/10 and you're clearly a 5 at a push 6 so with my advice I could push you to a 7 which would make me want to smash your back doors in... But at the moment it's a no, sorry babe but mike pumper has to move on! When your looking tip top I'll let you know, you look like the desperate waiting type so I'll hold you to that, Thanks, Love Mike."
On the other hand, Samantha, a newly single woman and victim of social media harassment, has reported about Michael on the dating site.
She said, "I worry because I've got some really lovely people around me who have supported me, but what about the girls that don't? It can be a really slippery slope when these things start affecting you. And it's so unfair that someone thinks it's okay to say such disgusting things, without considering the other person's feelings."
Samantha is not alone as there are many women who experience harassment while talking to a person on social media or matchmaking sites. How to combat such a situation? Here are some tips:
- Take the screenshot of messages which you feel uncomfortable to read.Send the screenshots to friends to spread the news through social media and find out the culprit. Then, block the sender.
- Talk to your parents and friends as soon as you realize that the person is harassing you.
- To find a partner or love of your life, avoid relying on dating apps. If it is inevitable, approach the person cautiously.
- Report any abuse or harassment to the site admin and also alert local authorities or talk to the local police (with proof to confront the culprit).
