Theft, blackmail or violence during dates

Safe dating

There are many nice men to meet through the Internet. The only thing is that it is always possible that you happen to meet someone who wants to do harm.

When someone wants to do harm, it is always a good idea to talk to the police. Even if you are embarrassed or find it scary.

Talking to the police can help you process what you have experienced. You also help other victims by reporting it. The more reports are made against someone, the greater the chance that they will be caught and punished. You can also always bring someone with you when you go to talk to the police. For example, a family member or a friend.

When you want to go to the police for a talk or report, you should always make an appointment first. You can do this by calling the free number 0900-8844. You will then get a police officer on the line.

Robberies

Robberies

Meet in a public place, preferably in a busy spot where there are other people. It is difficult sometimes to get a good picture of someone over the Internet. When you meet someone in a safe place and have a drink with them, for example, it is easier to be able to make an assessment about someone. And if it clicks, you can always go home together afterwards.

You can also let someone know where you are going. For example, a close friend or colleague. You can then share your live location via WhatsApp, or ask if someone can give you a call after a few hours, to check if everything is okay.

If someone comes to your home, make sure valuable objects such as a phone or wallet are not in sight. Or can be found in a logical place, such as in the pocket of your coat. Also, don't leave the other person alone in your home for too long, and make sure you don't accidentally fall asleep.

Blackmailing

Blackmail

With blackmail, someone tries to make you do something you don't want to do. To do this, they use nude photos of you, for example, and say they will send them to your family or work if you don't do what they say. Many people are scared by this. Or they feel ashamed that this is happening to them.

Blackmail cannot always be prevented. However, it does help to only send photos that you don't mind being sent to others. If you do want to send a nude photo, do so without recognizable body parts in it, such as your face or a recognizable tattoo or birthmark. If you can't manage to leave these out of the photo, you can put a patch over them, or make this part of the photo blurry.

Violence

Violence

You cannot always prevent violence.

It is good to at least make sure that you can always leave by yourself. So make sure you go by your own car or bike. If you go by public transportation, make sure you also know how to still get home at night, when only night buses run.

If you invite someone to your home, it can be difficult to get an annoying person out of your house. You can inform one of your neighbors, and can ask if you can ring the doorbell in case of an emergency. If someone gets angry, it also helps to stay calm yourself, and say clearly that you want the other person to leave. In a loud voice, tell the other person to leave. Don't negotiate with the other person, but stick to your point. You can also repeat it when someone doesn't listen right away.

If you are at someone else's house, it is a good idea to check how the door unlocks when you enter. You can also do this without the other person noticing. If the door is locked, try to see where the key is kept. Put all your belongings together so you can grab them quickly in the worst case. And make sure you can grab your phone quickly so you can call 112 in the worst case.

 

Read more about 'Roze in Blauw' here (Dutch)

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