Online Dating Gone Wrong
Online dating sites allow people to meet potential partners. Depending on the site, people that are signed up can provide any information they want about themselves. This includes anything from their age, height, interests and even their location. Giving information about yourself online can be risky and could potentially lead to sticky situations. Sharing information with strangers may seem like a good idea for finding a partner, but can end in ways you might not expect.
There are many people that have found success through online dating, resulting in marriage and long-term relationships. Those people get their happy endings. When asked, about 47% of online users said that they have or know someone who has met a romantic dating partner on a website or app. These results were taken as of January 2019. In other cases, people can find themselves in a situation with people they thought they could trust.
Although there are many good stories that come from online dating and finding “the one,” later on there could be a complete turn in who people turn out to be. In this particular situation above, a girl and guy met online and hit it off. They started their relationship strong but one thing led to another and he became aggressive. After stalking her and messaging her, he ended up stabbing her 75 times and killing her.
This is one example of online dating turning for the worst. Abduction, assaults, stalking and even murder can come from meeting strangers online. Though many people could be searching for their soulmate on dating sites, there are a handful of others that see this as an easy way to find their next victim.
In many situations, dates are set up either through the dating site or through text messaging after exchanging phone numbers. The story above is about a man who allegedly murdered 7 women after meeting them on dating websites. The dating sites seem to be the common denominator in each of his victims.
The idea of meeting someone and potentially forming a relationship makes it easier for people to be manipulated and taken advantage of in these situations. A major risk that comes along with dating through websites or apps is the fact that people can provide any information they want about themselves, whether it be true or false.
When meeting people online and exchanging phone numbers or any basic information, people should always be aware of some of the risks that may come with it. Starting with meeting in a public place or even in a group setting would be a good start to being safe when trying out online dating.
