Good news today that a man from Kent Washington has been arrested after a week long spree of raping and robbing men he had met via online dating app Growlr. The Advocate reports:
A man from Kent, Wash., has been arrested and charged with felony rape and robbery after he allegedly sexually assaulted at least one man he met through the online and mobile gay networking site Growlr, frequented by the burly, hairy gay men known fondly as bears.
Meeting guys online has become easier with access to apps like Growlr, Grinder and Scruff.
While this easy access to men has made online dating an easier process it does raise some safety concerns. For this reason I suggest the following safety tips.
- Get to know the person you are about to meet. I highly recommend getting their phone number and having a talk with them before you decide to meet.
- Go with your gut feeling. If you feel there is something not quite right it’s better to opt out early rather then regret your actions later.
- For the first meeting it’s better to meet at a safe neutral location. I suggest a coffee shop or perhaps a sex on premise venue. This way if you are not comfortable or the person ends out not being your type you can leave easily and your personal details are not shared. Meeting in a dark park in the middle of the night is not a good idea.
- If at any time you feel uncomfortable or unsafe leave.
- Let someone know where you are. Even if it’s just a friend, send a text letting them know where you are heading and what time you expect to be finished. Should anything go wrong your friend will be able to contact you.
Online dating can be fun however it’s important to put your safety first. If at any time you are assaulted, threatened or hurt, notify police immediately.
Yours in good health.
Dr George
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