Safe Dating
Welcome to the International Dating Academy’s first blog post. We’ll be blogging on all sorts of topics regularly, so do watch this space.
Today’s blog is about safe dating. Forearmed is forewarned, after all! Hopefully the following tips will keep you safe and sound, allowing you to enjoy your dating experience to the maximum. Finding a partner is a numbers’ game, and the only way to meet “The One” is to go out there and practise, so read on:
- Get to know someone reasonably well before meeting them or giving them too much personal information. Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t seem quite right, it probably isn’t. If someone appears “too keen to be true”, they probably are and may want something from you. Usually love takes time to develop. Dating scams are rare, but are becoming increasingly prevalent. Even if your instincts are good – still be careful, predators are great at playing a role. Your date will probably be fantastic, but there are some nasty people at large, so it’s worth being extra-vigilant. No decent person is going to mind if you’re careful.
- Make sure you have traceable contact details for your date, such as a telephone number. You can say you need it just in case you’re late so you can let him/her know. Call them to check it’s authentic before the date (perhaps call just to double-check the time). Nobody genuine will object to this. Give this number to a trusted friend.
- Keep the first meetings short, in daylight, in a public place with other people nearby and have an exit strategy. A coffee together, rather than dinner and a night club. Perhaps arrange to meet a friend afterwards at an agreed time and tell your date beforehand so he/she’s expecting it.
- Don’t leave you bag or your drink unattended. Don’t allow your date buy you drinks unless you can be certain that he/she hasn’t had the opportunity of tampering with them.
- Make sure you have the means to get home safely and independently and that someone knows where you are and at what time you’re due back. Let them know when you’re home.
- If you’ve met someone “long-distance” and are meeting them for the first time, DON’T arrange to stay with them.
- Don’t rush – take your time to get to know the person well before being too trusting. Someone who’s looking for the “real thing” will appreciate this.
Have fun!