Key Takeaways

The organization Childlight – Global Child Safety Institute recently surveyed 5,000 male dating app users across Australia, the U.S., and the UK to analyze the number of men who use dating apps, and to see whether their usage correlates to sexual feelings or offenses against children. 

The findings reveal an alarmingly high number of child sexual predators on dating apps. 

Of the men surveyed, 77.5% reported feeling zero sexual feelings toward children. But 11.5% did report feeling sexual feelings toward children, and 11% said they’ve committed sexual offenses against children before. 

The study also found that 65.8% of surveyed child sex offenders, and 53.9% of men with sexual feelings toward a child, have used an online dating platform. The comparison with surveyed non-offenders is telling: Less than 30.6% of men who had no sexual feelings or had not sexually offended children have used online dating apps. 

Obviously, not every man who uses a dating app is a sexual predator. But sexual predators are certainly on dating apps. And according to the Australian Institute of Criminology, these predators often target single mothers.

Why single mothers? Because they’re often perceived to be more emotionally vulnerable, more desperate for connection, and more trusting, all qualities that predators take advantage of in an effort to connect with their children. 

“This emerging issue signals an urgent need for platform accountability and the implementation of safeguarding measures to protect single parents and, by extension, their children,” the study noted. 

“Child sexual abusers on dating apps” is not a pleasant topic. But establishing safeguards against abusive behavior is crucial to running a healthy, stable, and successful dating platform where users feel safe. 

Sexual Predators Conceal Themselves From Detection 

Unsurprisingly, sexual offenders on dating apps usually don’t seek out age-appropriate matches — and they don’t announce their presence, either. 

Sexual offenders on dating apps are more likely to use privacy and anonymity tools. In fact, offenders who use a specific Dark Web router, The Onion Router, are “6.14 times more likely to use dating apps frequently,” according to the study. Child sexual abusers are also more likely to use cryptocurrency to hide their proclivities. 

It’s just as crucial for dating apps to monitor age verification. It’s not unheard of for vulnerable minors to exchange sexual abuse for material gains, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

“Offenders who were approached by a child exchanging their sexual abuse for money or other material gains were 4.54 times more likely to use dating apps frequently,” Childlight reported.

Oftentimes, even the people in an abuser’s inner circle can indicate an increase in dating app usage. “Among men without sexual attraction to or offending against children, each increase in online dating frequency was associated with twice the odds of having a friend who views child sexual exploitation materials (CSEM),” according to Childlight. 

The conclusion is disturbing, to say the least: Men who have sexual feelings for children and/or have abused children are more likely to use dating apps than other men, and they use them more often, too. 

Dating apps must be able to identify predators quickly and efficiently to keep vulnerable users safe. 

The More Safety Features in Place, the Safer People Feel

People already feel some degree of danger on dating apps — 60% of surveyed U.S. adults told Pew Research that they want platforms to conduct background checks on users — and the Childlight study agreed that thorough background checks and ID verification could go a long way to eradicating child predators from dating apps. 

The study also recommended that dating apps come up with creative ways to sniff out the predators that are, in all likelihood, already on the platform. “Develop tools to detect predatory behaviors, such as grooming language or suspicious messaging patterns,” the study suggested. 

Match Group cooperates with law enforcement and has partnered with the secure platform Kodex to respond to user reports of sexual assault, and to assist with active investigations. More dating platforms need to implement technology that makes it easier for victims to report bad behavior. 

People expect to find catfish and bots on dating apps, but child sexual offenders can slink in under the radar. This is why Childlight emphasized the importance of education, especially among the most vulnerable group on dating apps: single mothers. 

“Dating platforms and policymakers should raise single parents’ awareness of these risks by providing clear guidance on identifying red flags and protecting their families,” according to Childlight. 

Dating platforms must hold themselves accountable. A child’s safety is worth the effort. “Further accountability mechanisms such as regulation should be explored,” Childlight suggested. “By prioritizing platform accountability, improving user protections, and educating users, we can reduce the risk of single parents being targeted by child sex offenders.” 

And in this case, protecting the single parent means protecting the child.