Meeting new people online -- especially to learn new cultures, countries, or languages -- is exciting. However, it’s important to make sure you’re doing so safely.
Online harassment can come in many forms, including name-calling, physical threats, or even sexual harassment. More than half of women ages 18-29 have reported being sent sexually explicit imaging without their consent, according to the Pew Research Center, which constitutes harassment.
However, this shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the benefits of social media apps. While you can’t control the actions of others when you interact with them, there are things to watch for and steps you can take to help you stay safe online and on Linguado.
No matter what website you use, you’ll always find users looking to get into a relationship. This could be cause for concern for many reasons. First, there’s a chance it could be a scammer trying to steal information or money. Second, it could lead to much more serious matters. Talking to a man or woman desperate to find a relationship could quickly escalate into receiving unsolicited sexual images, unwanted flirting, and even stalking.
The same goes for users that begin with innocent flirting. This isn’t always bad, but remember that these people do not know you. If you’ve just started talking to someone and they have already started flirting with you -- even if it might be innocent -- you might want to proceed with caution. Additionally, if you show interest, they could view that as you wanting more, which can quickly escalate to sexual harassment.
The Linguado team wants all our members to make new friends worldwide, but we want to keep you safe in the process. Therefore, it is probably best to unlink and block other users that are hitting on you or flirting with you without your consent.
If you’re looking to chat only with other women on Linguado, defining your search parameters can help. You can visit the settings page on Linguado, and select the “female” button. This will enable you to link with women only:
Speaking of blocking, this is a feature on almost any online app that you should be familiar with. Blocking other users on mobile apps prevents that person from talking to you again, so if you’re a victim of harassment, this block button can be your best friend.
Additionally, you can report users. On Linguado, our team receives a message of reported incidents, which allows us to investigate further and prevent that user from harassing others.
Blocking and reporting abusers on Linguado is easy. You can simply tap on their profile, click the three dots in the top right image, and either block or report them:
This doesn’t mean you can’t meet other people through Linguado. The Linguado team wants you to learn about different cultures, languages, countries, and people. One of the ways you can do that is through meeting new people. However, ensuring your own safety is critical before agreeing to meet in person.
Don’t Rush It
Before you meet someone off the app, make sure you know them well. Take your time to feel safe around them, even if that means asking hard-hitting questions to ensure you’re comfortable before meeting them.
Make sure you’re not meeting them for the first time somewhere private, and make sure it stays that way. It will take a few meetings to get comfortable with them, and until then, stay in a public place at all times. Any public location -- bars, restaurants, parks, etc. -- are great first places to meet people. This helps ensure your safety.
Tell Someone Else About Your Plans
Just like you would prepare for a hike or other adventure, it’s wise to let your friends, family, or another person you trust know about your plans to meet. Let them know where you’re going, who you’re meeting, and when you should be back. Also, make sure your phone is fully charged and that you have a reliable connection so you can easily reach someone if needed.
And make sure the person you’re meeting does too. This should be one of the things you talk about before meeting in person so you feel safe when you meet. Know what you’re personally comfortable doing or talking about, and make sure your newfound friend does too.
There’s no shame in cutting something short, especially if it’s because you’re uncomfortable. Whether chatting on Linguado or meeting in person, you should always put yourself and your safety first.
While no method mentioned above will fully reduce the risk of harassment online and in person, these tips can certainly help. Linguado is here to support women around the world and increase their safety -- not just on Linguado, but on any online website.
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