Thursday 14 October 2010

BBC News - Safe Dating For Singletons

The UK's singletons could soon be using a telephone service to log where, when and who they go on dates with.


The system, known as datesense, could help to prevent women disappearing or being attacked on blind dates. Daters log their details and check-in afterwards. If they cannot be traced in 72 hours the police are notified.
Dating agency Viva-City.com developed the system after a survey suggested a third of women do not tell anyone where they are going on a first date.


More than 1,000 people were questioned in the survey and over half said they would consider going on a blind date.
But one-in-three women and 50% of men said they would not tell even their closest friends where they were going.
Most women said this is because they want to be independent, but many said they would feel embarrassed.
Viva-City consulted the Metropolitan Police and personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust while establishing the service.





New risks


William McMullan, founder of Viva-City, said: "The safety of our registered users on a first date is something we take very seriously.

"We have developed datesense with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police and in addition we feature safety tips and advice on the site."
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust believes the rising popularity of internet dating and a willingness to meet with strangers brings new risks.
Lizzie Lyell, spokeswoman for the trust, warned that personal safety has to be a priority.
She said: "A lot of personal safety precautions are common sense, but sadly common sense is not always common practice, and too many people go through life thinking 'it'll never happen to me'.
"If you are going on a date with someone, especially if you have never met them before, then it is really important to think about the risks and what you can do to reduce them."

No comments:

Post a Comment