10 Dating Safety Rules That Could Save Your Life

If he can’t handle that, then this is a sure sign he has no respect for you right off the bat. With it, then continue with casually getting his info. Once you have his birthday, where he works, mutual friends (if any), then you can verify all the information. I thoroughly suggest looking through the local court records and call local authorities to be sure they have never heard of him as well. Nowadays everyone has some sort of social networking account. Don’t hesitate to check to see if he’s had any run-ins with the law either.

If you need to go to the bathroom, finish your drink first. And remember to take your handbag, phone or wallet with you for extra security. Make sure you set your date for a public place where you know for sure there’ll be lots of other people around. This sounds obvious, but making sure people you trust know the details of your date is super important. Instead of going directly home after a date, consider making a pit stop somewhere.

It’s also a great way to get a second opinion if you are getting bad vibes from a date. Uber it or drive your own car and not only will you have a quick getaway if things get weird, but you’re also keeping your home address hidden from your date. The location of your first date plays a significant role in your safety. Always opt for public, well-lit, and well-populated venues. This is perhaps one of the most critical safety measures.

Online Dating Safety Tips To Consider Before The First Date

We don’t want to believe that someone we’re on a date with will slip us any drugs, but it does happen. It may sound a little overboard, but if no one knows you’re out, they won’t know they should be worried if something should go wrong. If James Franco’s character had just let someone know he was going out hiking, they would have known to look for him a whole lot sooner. Be wary of anyone who pressures you into meeting in person too soon, too quickly, as well as people who avoid meeting in person altogether. Beyond the practical steps, your mindset and ability to assert boundaries are foundational to safety.

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To play it safe, be shrewd when sharing personal information, use the internet for reconnaissance, and always meet a potential mate first in a public setting. Read on for details and more advice from fraud experts, relationship counselors, dating sites and consumer protection agencies. Having control over your transportation means you can leave the date whenever you want. Whether it’s your own car, public transport, or a taxi, being independent in your travel is a key safety measure. Avoid letting your date pick you up or drop you home, as it’s wise not to share your address before establishing trust. Dating can be an exciting journey of getting to know someone new, but it’s important to remain both open-hearted and safety-conscious, particularly when it comes to first dates.

Showing up with no money on a date is just silly because you never know what could happen. Remember—you have a lot to bring to the table, and choosing someone to date is as much your decision as it is theirs. The truth is, you’re not for everybody, and not everyone is for you. The right person will find your quirks and imperfections lovable, so there’s no need to shape-shift your way into a stranger’s approval. The sooner you and your date can be your authentic selves, the sooner you’ll be able to truly get to know each other. Red flags are signals that someone probably won’t be compatible with your standards and values.

Whether it’s a second date, going for a nightcap, staying for the entire date, texting them later, or anything else, never feel obligated to do it. Life is far, far too short to be wasting time on the wrong ones. By speaking on a video call before the date, you’ll get a sense of whether they truly are who they say they are.

Don’t dismiss feelings of unease or discomfort, even if you can’t logically explain them. Before you go on a first date, make sure you know how to keep yourself safe! Relationship and dating expert Kelly Marie joined us to share her first-date safety checklist. Our aim is to provide accurate, safe and expert verified information through our articles and social media handles. The remedies, advice and tips mentioned here are for general information only.

Yea, you can get rid of that if you have a backup source just in case. Well, if you’ve been using banking for a while, you know that things are not always reliable. What happens if you go to use your debit or credit card and your bank freezes it? You’ll want to have cash or a different card from a different bank so that you don’t look like someone with financial problems on the first date. Taking a walk can be great for conversation, but it’s probably best if you’re not meeting someone for the first time on a secluded hiking trail.

Provide Your Own Transportation

“Punctuality demonstrates respect for the other person and their valuable time. Lateness demonstrates a lack of respect for the other person,” Hayes said. Instead, she said the initial date should be an easygoing interaction and shouldn’t pry too deeply into someone’s personal life. Here at Wisp, we take safety seriously, which is why every profile is verified, and we have strict guidelines in place to stop harassment and inappropriate behaviour towards our users. If you want to make sure the date is safe, you need to be safe while you’re in the online phase, too.

• You can make an excuse or just immediately call a car, but feeling uneasy doesn’t lead to a positive outcome.
• While hoping for the best, it’s prudent to prepare for unexpected situations.
• “If they continue when you say you need space, or turn aggressive, that’s a sign they could be problematic and don’t respect boundaries.”
• Bowling is also less isolated than, say, rock climbing or golfing, if you’re looking for a date idea that’s both safe and active.
• First dates are exciting, nerve-wracking, and a bunch of other emotions we can’t think of words to use to describe.

You don’t need to be a martial arts expert, but basic situational awareness and a few simple moves can be empowering. Immediately upon arriving home, or as soon as you are safely in your own space, inform your trusted contact. To read more such stories, stay connected to HerZindagi. Before you go, boost your confidence by dressing in something that makes you feel good and reminding yourself of your positive qualities. Take the pressure off yourself by remembering that the goal isn’t necessarily a long-term relationship, but to assess compatibility and enjoy the vibes. It’s completely normal to feel nervous before a first date, but you can manage these feelings by shifting your perspective and focusing on preparation.

Below, you’ll find probably the most important tips for your first date that will help to guarantee you success. If you have to use your backup plan, it will impress your date to see that you even have one. And, if things don’t go quite smoothly with the second plan, they will be understanding as long as they aren’t a terrible person who you don’t want to be going out with anyways. Sometimes it’s not clear who is going to be paying on a first date. For that reason, this tip goes out to everyone that’s going to be on the date.

Instead of judging their answers, appreciate this person’s individuality. The more you appreciate your date’s unique taste, the better. ” “I love your sweater/shoes/hat.” People love to be noticed for things they care about. But giving too many compliments throughout the date can be overwhelming and off-putting. So, if you’re worried about coming on too strong, compliment your date on something other than their appearance—like their laugh, sense of humor, intelligence or great taste in music. Everyone appreciates thoughtful compliments if they’re given the right way.

Maybe you should shove a twenty in that space in your bra designed for padding… or in your socks. Make sure your cellphone battery is fully charged, experts say, in case you need to call someone for assistance. And always provide your own transportation to and from the date; don’t get into someone else’s car.

Drive yourself or take public transportation to get to the date. If it is dark out and you don’t feel safe alone with your date, look for any emergency blue light stations. These stations are common on college campuses and public parks that connect you to emergency services. One of the cooler things about online dating and dating sites is that your date can introduce you to new places you’ve never been before. Online dating is a unique experience for everyone who participates, so there is no set timeline on when you should expect to meet in person for the first time.

Avoid disclosing too much personal information, for example where you live and work, she says. Something as innocent as saying “let’s meet here, it’s right by my work” may reveal more than is safe when first getting to know someone. Ahead of meeting someone in person for the first time, O’Brien recommends choosing a public place and letting someone know where you are going. “Maybe we notice stuff earlier than meeting in person and listen to that, and decide to make a different decision, like to unmatch.” Jacquie O’Brien is the director of communications and community change at Respect Victoria and suggests choosing a dating app that has taken steps to improve user safety.

Some online dating apps will ask you to comment whether you’ve met your matches in person or not after some time has passed. This is typically a survey to help improve their algorithm and collect research on users’ experiences. Sometimes, all things can seem fine, but your gut feeling might tell you that that’s not the truth. If something your date says or does which makes you feel uneasy, awkward, or unsafe, do not ignore that feeling.

The goal is to see if there’s a connection and to leave a positive impression for a potential second date. This seriously depends on yours and the other person’s boundaries, feelings, and comfort, because there is no set rule on how intimate a first date should be. However, we don’t recommend choosing somewhere you go often, like your local coffee shop, pub, or favourite restaurant. We also recommend picking the place if you’re having some anxiety about meeting your date for the first time. But “trusting our gut is one of the most important things we have when meeting new people and dating”, says O’Brien. Mourikis says behaviours such as talking over you or criticising you can also be red flags.

Good people don’t care that you’re trying to stay safe. If any of those guys had said no to my request, I’d have walked out and gone home. So, yeah… these first date safety tips might just save your life. One in 4 adults said they don’t know enough when it comes to dating safety, according to a survey of 2,000 British singles conducted by dating app Plenty of Fish.

When you’re dating, safety needs to be your number one priority—full stop. I don’t mean to scare you, but when you agree to meet a stranger (from the internet!), you need to be smart and alert. To be safe on a first date, meet in a public place where other people can see you. Tell a friend where you’re going and when you expect to be home.

Why wait forever to go out again if you want to spend more time with them? Tell them what you think and how you feel with kindness and clarity. If you’re nervous about your date, take in a deep breath, LaDate hold it for three seconds, and let it out.

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Again, it doesn’t have to be a completely flushed out plan, but just something that you can have in your back pocket if things go well and you want to keep hanging out. Step two—if you want to, put on some cologne or perfume. If it’s overwhelming, it will not come across as attractive.

Be confident about how you are getting home and Uber it, drive your own car or make sure you know the last Tube times! Not only will you have a quick getaway if things feels a bit off, but you’re also keeping your home address hidden from your date. This way in case anything goes wrong, you have someone close by who can help. Drinking is a good way to make things a little less awkward and to loosen both of you up, but be careful when alcohol is in the picture. When you drink too much, all sorts of things can happen. Stop yourself at three drinks max and be sure to sip plenty of water.

Watching your language is more than not swearing like a sailor. It means you don’t speak badly about other people, yourself and especially your ex-romantic partners. Complaining, criticizing and whining says a lot about your own mindset and sense of self-worth and can put a serious damper on your date. You don’t have to put on a fake happiness mask, but you should build others up with your words, be grateful, and keep a positive attitude. I hope you’ll keep these simple tips and rules in mind on your next date.

Before meeting face-to-face, it’s also important to consider safety when connecting online. And while we can make dating safer, Mourikis says there will always be a level of risk, because we can’t control someone else’s choice to be disrespectful or abusive. Both people involved in a date are responsible for creating a safe environment, she says, because “we all have capacity to cause harm, make someone feel uncomfortable, and discriminate”. Dating can be fun and exciting, but also risky, especially when meeting someone new for the first time. Settling for meh will just make you unhappy in the long run.

Avoiding rides offered by your date during the initial encounter not only maintains your autonomy but also serves as a proactive measure to safeguard personal safety. This approach allows you to navigate the date on your terms, ensuring a comfortable and secure experience. Before stepping out for your date, take a moment to reach out to a trusted friend or family member. Share comprehensive details regarding your plans – the exact location, scheduled time, and information about the individual you will meet.

Try walking and talking around a museum or art gallery for all that great conversation minus the seclusion/bugs. Dating can feel like a long, uncomfortable journey, but with the right attitude, it can be one of the most fun and educational phases of your life. You’ll learn what you like to do, the qualities you enjoy in other people, and how you can grow and develop in relationship with yourself and others. But that’s not a big deal if you set aside a monthly amount for dating in your budget.