“Absolutely Sickening”: Australians Are Shocked By Tinder’s Response To Sexual Assaults
A joint '4 Corners' and triple j investigation exposed how Tinder is failing women time and time again .
Viewers were astonished by last night’s 4 Corners, a joint investigation with triple j’s Hack into Tinder’s response to sexual assaults, as women came forward to share their stories and the app’s lackluster response.
— This article discusses sexual assault —
Airing on Monday night and preceded by a written version, the 4 Corners episode was the end result of Hack‘s public callout for stories on safety on dating apps — of the 48 people who said they reported a sexual offense to Tinder, eleven received responses.
The episode was centred on the stories of five Australian women, Emily, Beth, Brooke, Paula and Lauren* who had all been assaulted by men they met on Tinder.
Brooke, Beth, Emily, Lauren and Paula's parents Barbara and Simon are courageous, incredible people who generously told us about the most traumatic things they've ever experienced. They did it because they want Tinder to be held to account. #4Corners @triplejHack
— Avani Dias (@AvaniDias) October 12, 2020
Paula committed suicide before her assaulter, Glenn Hartland — known colloquially as ‘the Tinder rapist’ — was sentenced to 14 years jail in 2019 for raping three women and indecently assaulting Lauren*. Her parents Barbara and Simon were interviewed, demanding that Tinder do more.
"Our life will never be the same for us."
I was floored by Barbara and Simon's strength in sharing their pain with Australia. An interview no parents should ever have to give.
The only consolation is knowing Glenn Hartland is behind bars for his hideous crimes. #4Corners pic.twitter.com/0y7UhDzKwI
— Ange McCormack (@_angemccormack) October 12, 2020
The stories, when combined, shone a light on Tinder: most responses were generic if not automated, and signalled a lack of care for its users. It was described as the “perfect platform” for predators.
NSW Police also told 4 Corners that they struggled to gain details from Tinder and other dating apps when investigating sexual assaults. But NSW Police were equally accused of negligence, as 4 Corners detailed how they gave a man a “warning” after Emily was raped three times by a man she met on Tinder.
“This story isn’t even really about police failures but they’re shining through nonetheless,” tweeted journalist Hannah Ryan, watching from home.
Not only did they just give him a warning, but they actually told him to delete the video evidence of him committing a crime. Insanity
— Michael Macleod (@michaelm0700) October 12, 2020
Young woman gets raped by a guy she met on Tinder. Reports it to police. Police go to his home and ‘give him a warning’. Yes, this really happened. What’s going on @nswpolice ?? #4Corners
— Sally Neighbour (@neighbour_s) October 12, 2020
The fact anyone is surprised to learn that (many) men believe they're entitled to women's bodies and/or that police mishandle sexual assault cases is the shock to me. This is the world we live in. #4corners
— Erin Delahunty (@della79) October 12, 2020
More than this, the report detailed how the app’s unmatching feature was allowing predators to cover their tracks.
Sharing her story of assault, Brooke said she was promptly ‘unmatched’ by her abuser, leaving her with no pictures, name, or even proof of there ever having been an encounter.
“That was probably the main reason that I didn’t go to the police because I didn’t have his number, I didn’t know his last name,” she said.
“It was completely heart-wrenching because there was no proof that we had even spoken to each other.”
One of the most confronting parts of this #4corners is that these women could’ve been me or my sister or my friends. So exceptionally proud of @AvaniDias and @triplejHack for doing their stories justice. Do better @Tinder @4corners
— Georgia Hitch (@GeorgiaHitch) October 12, 2020
I have watched #4Corners with my heart in my throat. It is absolutely sickening and heartbreaking to consider the damage inflicted on so many young women – so clearly enabled by a ‘slick’ platform. 😔 https://t.co/uzwxYb5x9L
— Georgie Dent (@georgiedent) October 12, 2020
Tinder’s parent company Match — who also own Hinge, Plenty of Fish, OK Cupid and a host of other dating sites — declined to have a spokesperson in the story, instead offering a three-line statement.
“We’re outraged that singles anywhere may experience fear, discomfort, or worse when looking to meet someone special, and we will always work to improve our systems to make sure everyone on our apps feels respected and safe,” they wrote.
In response to the episode, viewers called for Tinder to do more to prevent abusers from repeatedly using their app and evade charges.
“Dating apps have [a] responsibility to keep women safe who use apps but have failed to,” tweeted ASRC CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis. “Happy to monetise women on their sites but not protect them from sexual predators.”
The bravery of these young women to come forward and tell their stories in an effort to protect others cannot be ignored. Since breaking today, the @triplej text line again went into meltdown with more young people coming forward with their experiences. So, @Tinder? #4Corners
— David Marchese (@davidmarchese) October 12, 2020
The #4Corners report on @Tinder reveals the ease at which predators abuse the mechanics of dating apps to avoid being convicted of rape. @Tinder could easily add a feature into the app to bring back previous conversations if you need to report a user to Police for rape.
— Hayden O'Connor (@HaydenJOConnor) October 12, 2020
The episode — 4 Corner‘s first collaboration with triple j, led by Hack host Avani Dias and researched by an all-female team — is available to watch on ABC iView and YouTube. Find it below, and a written version here.
Hack plan to continue investigating Tinder’s responses to sexual assault and misconduct, and has opened up a form to allow people to detail their own experiences.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.