Mama Life/Dating - Collaborative Post
With the technology and social media available to us now, it makes meeting new people so much easier, but it's not without its downfalls. Keeping safe when dating is so important and as much as the tech we have available can be helpful, it can also be a hinderance when it comes to safety, with things like false profiles, visible locations and reduced privacy. Nowadays it's far easier to stay safe though too and we can use our trusty devices to lead the way. Where possible we should know the person as best we can before meeting in person, but also make sure we have friends or family that know where we'll be or on hand to bail you out in the event of a trash date, especially if your disability means you may need a little extra help or support.
There is so much dating help and support out there for those that need it, with disabled dating, if you're in need of a more understanding dating service, it may be super helpful to seek the support of a professional match making service for a little added reassurance. I thought I'd share some tips I've collected from single friends that may just help in your dating ventures whether you have a disability or not. So if you're in it for the long haul or even just looking for a bit of fun, here's some tips to to it all safely...
Go with your gut instincts
Sometimes, things just don't feel right but we are too nervous to make for the exit. When dating though, whether it's just through messages or when you meet in person, go with your gut instincts. If things don't feel right, they probably aren't, so trust in your feelings and act on it. If you pick up on any red flags, trust in those too because these feelings don't come from nowhere.
Do your research
Before meeting someone, it's totally normal and justified to look up your date on social media to get a better idea of who they are, see some more pictures in a natural setting and most importantly, check that they are who they say they are. Not everyone is present on social media, so lack of 'research materials' doesn't necessarily mean they aren't genuine or have something to hide, but if they do have an online presence, then checking them out on there is never a bad thing. Just be sure not to randomly like old pictures or react to something by accident! You could even reverse image search any pictures they've sent, you'll then see if they appear anywhere else on the web not connected to the person in question.
Tell people where, when and who with
This one is really important, but for safety's sake, always tell a friend where you will be, what time and who with. If it makes you more at ease, you could even get your friend to walk you there or pick you up at a set time. It's very unlikely anything bad will happen, but knowing that people know where you are just makes you feel a little safer and in the event of needing a swift exit, they'll know exactly where to come. Talking of exits, you may want an exit strategy in place, a code word you can text for a quick taxi home or if you need any help.
Use a professional matchmaking service
Sometimes using normal dating apps can feel a bit daunting, so if you want the reassurance that you are meeting who you think you're meeting, then using a bonified dating service to meet the right kind of person can be just the ticket. You may want to meet people of a certain age, with certain interests or maybe even someone that will understand your unique tastes or disability. For Single Disabled dating, it's great to know you are meeting the real deal, someone that will understand your disability and be able to support you on your date. By using a matchmaking service that truly understands your needs, you can feel a little safer as you venture on those dates, knowing you have the support behind you and somebody to help if things don't go as well as you'd hoped. There are so many sites now set up for helping people find dates safely, so have a google for your needs before getting stuck into the apps.
Meet in a public place
Always meet new dates in a public location where there'll be other people. If your date isn't who they say they are or if things go the wrong way, then you can safely exit knowing that there are plenty of people around to keep an eye on you. ALso, with things like CCTV in most public places no, you're covered if anything should happen. If you're just meeting for fun, you may feel tempted to go straight to someone's home or meet somewhere in private, but even in that case it's far safer to meet in public first so you know your 'date' is who they say they are, then once you're happy you can go somewhere a little quieter.
Stay safe!
