Offences Linked to Online Dating Apps
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/002853/M
Version Date: 28/02/2025
The Performance Analysis Department have provided the following information.
Searches were completed on Niche for all crimes that have the keywords “tinder”, “bumble”, “hinge” or “grindr” within the occurrence entry log, where the victim is not female.
Please note the only options available in the gender field are “female”, “male” and “unknown”.
The data has been reviewed for relevance.
- How many reports of offences linked to online dating apps where the victim is any other gender then female (e.g. male, non-binary or other) did you receive in the past four calendar years (1st January 2021 - when this request was processed) in your force's area. For this request, I define 'linked to online dating apps' as cases where the use of an online dating platform (e.g., Grindr, Hinge, Tinder, or Bumble) is mentioned in the report or flagged as relevant in the investigation.
1a. Please break down the data by year.
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 (up until 31/01/25) |
Total |
|
47 |
44 |
35 |
50 |
3 |
179 |
1b. Please break down the data by the following offence groups:
Sexual offences
Theft offences
Violence against the person
Robbery
|
Crime Group |
Total |
|
Criminal Damage |
6 |
|
Dwelling Burglary |
2 |
|
Non-Crime |
1 |
|
Public Order |
1 |
|
Robbery |
1 |
|
Sexual Offences |
25 |
|
Theft |
79 |
|
Theft of Motor Vehicle |
1 |
|
Violence Against the Person |
63 |
|
Total |
179 |
1c. Please break down the data further down by the specific offence within each offence group
|
Offence Group |
Total |
|
ABH on a Constable (recordable) |
1 |
|
Aggravated burglary - dwelling (recordable) |
1 |
|
Arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation (recordable) |
1 |
|
Arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography (S50, SOA 2003) |
1 |
|
Assault a male 13 or over by penetration with part of body / a thing - SOA 2003 (recordable) |
3 |
|
Assault by beating (recordable) |
1 |
|
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (Section 47) |
12 |
|
Attempt blackmail (recordable) |
1 |
|
Blackmail |
3 |
|
Blackmail (recordable) |
69 |
|
Breach a non-molestation order - Family Law Act 1996 (recordable) |
1 |
|
Common assault (recordable) |
2 |
|
Common assault (S39) and assault without injury (Class 105A) |
5 |
|
Criminal damage Other |
2 |
|
Criminal damage to a building other than a dwelling |
1 |
|
Criminal damage to a dwelling |
1 |
|
Criminal damage to a Vehicle |
2 |
|
Disclose private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress (recordable) |
3 |
|
Engage in controlling / coercive behaviour in an intimate / family relationship (recordable) |
1 |
|
Engage in sexual communication with a child (recordable) |
3 |
|
Harassment without violence (recordable) |
9 |
|
Rape a man 16 or over - SOA 2003 (recordable) |
16 |
|
Rape of a Male aged under 16 (Sec 1, SOA 2003) |
1 |
|
Reported Rape Incident – offence committed in and transferred to another police force area |
1 |
|
Residential Burglary of a Home |
1 |
|
Robbery - Personal (recordable) |
1 |
|
Section 18 - grievous bodily harm with intent (recordable) |
1 |
|
Section 18 - wounding with intent (recordable) |
1 |
|
Send communication / article of an indecent / offensive nature (recordable) |
6 |
|
Send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message (recordable) |
4 |
|
Send/threaten to share photograph or film of a person in an intimate state intending to cause alarm, distress, humiliation or for the purposes of sexual gratification - SOA 2003 s66B |
1 |
|
Stalking involving fear of violence (recordable) |
2 |
|
Stalking involving serious alarm / distress (recordable) |
4 |
|
Stalking without fear / alarm / distress (recordable) |
8 |
|
Theft from the person of another (recordable) |
1 |
|
Theft in dwelling other than an automatic machine or meter (recordable) |
1 |
|
Theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle |
1 |
|
Theft other |
4 |
|
Threats to kill (recordable) |
2 |
|
Total |
179 |
1d. Please also indicate what dating app was mentioned in the report, namely if it was the LGBTQ+ dating app "Grindr" or "Hinge", "Bumble" or "Tinder".
|
Dating App |
Count |
|
Bumble |
9 |
|
Hinge |
23 |
|
Tinder |
75 |
|
Grindr |
68 |
|
Bumble & Grindr |
1 |
|
Tinder & Bumble |
1 |
|
Tinder, Bumble & Hinge |
1 |
|
Tinder & Grindr |
1 |