Spike in sexual extortion and sexual assaults involving dating apps reported in Surrey

Police are warning of a spike in reports of sexual extortion and sexual assaults in Surrey – involving people who meet each other using an online dating app. Isabelle Raghem reports.

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Police are warning of a spike in reports of sexual extortion and sexual assault in Surrey.

RCMP Corporal Elenore Sturko says the cases involve people who meet each other using an online dating app.

“People who had shared photographs and then later found themselves a victim of people demanding money or sexual favors for them in exchange for not distributing those for photos any further,” she explains.

Police say perpetrators often attempt to finding these victims online, but with the rise of dating apps, police are seeing an increase in reports of sexual assault and sextortion.

“Any kind of apps where people are meeting,” she says. “We’re talking about things like Tinder, Bumble, these type of dating apps that have actually become more prevalent.”

Police are hoping this warning will make users think twice before sending any sensitive or personal images.

“We’re not suggesting that people stop using apps, to meet friends and to meet new relationships,” Sturko says. “But we do caution people in taking risks when they don’t know a person. Perhaps getting to know someone publicly before meeting in private for the first time and take into consideration that you may want to let someone know who it is you’re meeting with and where you’re going when you’re meeting a new person.”

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