PROVO, Utah — A new study from Brigham Young University shows a connection between dating apps and sexual predators who use them to hunt for victims.
Using data analyzed from Utah sexual assault victims’ medical exam charts from 2017 to 2020, the school's nursing professors found that 14% of rapes were committed by suspects who had met their victims through a dating app.
What disturbed professors even more was that predators used the apps to target victims with "mental illnesses and other vulnerabilities;" and in those cases, the attacks were significantly more violent, according to the report. The study found that among those assaulted during a first meeting arranged through a dating app, 60% of acquaintance rape victims disclosed mental illness.
"When you consider mental illness as a vulnerability for sexual assault, someone that's depressed or has anxiety may be swayed more by flattery or someone who tries to get the victim alone," said BYU professor Julie Valentine.
Because of the relative lack of ability to screen partners when using dating apps, the study said they are "fertile ground for predators."
“It used to be that people would meet through mutual friends or at work or school, and there was a degree of vetting that went in place before dating. Dating apps have completely taken away that process,” Valentine said.
Interestingly, Valentine explained why the study shows assaults among male victims were almost twice as much as those involving females.
"A homosexual man may use dating apps more, especially in conservative cultures where it's difficult to openly forge romantic relationships," she said.
While Valentine said the study and those behind it aren't against dating apps, the BYU group does hope companies address the safety issues that make users so vulnerable to assault. The group is collaborating with Utah legislators to support a bill sponsored by Rep. Angela Romero to improve dating app safety.
"The dating app companies need to find mechanisms to improve the safety," she explained. "One of those is to clearly state that they do not do background checks. They could, and they could do that at no additional cost, to also clearly state sexual assault and what survivors can do to report sexual assault."
