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Dating apps have changed the way people connect. With a swipe or a message, platforms like Hinge and Tinder promise meaningful relationships, convenience, and compatibility. While these platforms can lead to meaningful relationships, they also come with serious and overlooked risks.
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Harassment, coercion, stalking, and sexual violence are not rare experiences in the digital dating world. It is a common occurrence that demands greater attention, accountability, and user protection.
Online dating platforms create special vulnerabilities. Unlike traditional dating, users often meet strangers with limited background information, potentially relying on misleading profiles or worse. This can expose the user to harmful behavior and makes it difficult to safely identify warning signs early.
Research shows that 57-88.8% of users have experienced some form of harassment on dating apps (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37036157/). A majority of users report experiencing unwanted sexual messages, persistent contact after rejection, or aggressive behavior. For some, these interactions escalate into unsafe, real-world encounters.
In Denver, Colorado, a coalition of law firms, including Dormer Harpring, have filed a lawsuit against Hinge and its parent company, Match Group, on behalf of women targeted by convicted serial rapist Dr. Stephen Matthews. The 54-page complaint, filed in the Denver District Court, has already gained a lot of attention by media outlets such as The Guardian, CBS News, and Denver 7 News.
Stephen Matthews was a former cardiologist who allegedly used Hinge and Tinder to lure women into his home before drugging, raping, and gaslighting them. According to the lawsuit, Match Group and Hinge were warned as early as September 2020 that Matthews was using the platform to assault women. Hinge acknowledged receiving this report and claimed Matthews had been banned, but those assurances were false.
Rather than removing him, Hinge continued to promote Matthews as a match, recommending women to him, and him to women, for the next three years. “Every detail in this complaint shows a catastrophic failure of basic safety…Hinge promised it had banned him. Then, Hinge recommended him to more women,” said Carrie Goldberg, Founder of C.A. Goldberg, a firm involved in this lawsuit.
In 2024, Matthews was convicted of 35 criminal counts related to drugging and sexually assaulting at least 11 women he met on dating apps, leading to a sentence of 158 years in prison.
Experiences of harassment or assault connected to dating apps can be a very traumatic experience for many. “I thought I was safe. I thought he was who he said he was. I woke up in a nightmare. I woke up with injuries I will never forget,” said Alexa, a survivor that interacted with Matthews.
Some other lasting effects of this type of harassment can include:
These impacts are valid and deserve attention and care.
Raising awareness for safer-dating practices is very important. Some of which include:
At the same time, dating platforms, such as Hinge and Tinder, must be held accountable for enforcing safety measures and responding promptly to reports of abuse. Dan Gerash, an attorney at Gerash Steiner, P.C stated that, “Hinge had the data, the signals, and the responsibility to intervene. Hinge failed. Our lawsuit is designed to force change on a company that should have acted long before these women were harmed.”
For many people, dating apps are a normal way to connect. However, acknowledging their risks is essential. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or violence connected to online dating, help is available. Support organizations offer guidance, emotional support, and resources for healing.
Dating apps are a modern reality, but awareness, education, and support can help make digital dating safer for everyone.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney, K.C. Harpring, a Denver personal injury attorney with extensive legal expertise.
