Woman attempts suicide after being raped by Tinder date

January 12, 2017 12:29

The rape took place in an alley after the victim had met up with the suspect in Cornwall Street Park. The two had met on the dating app Tinder (inset). Photo: HK Government, Bloomberg

An 18-year-old woman tried to commit suicide after being raped by a man she had met on the dating app Tinder.

The woman, a secondary six student, met up with the suspect on New Year's Eve in Cornwall Street Park in Kowloon.

She was forced into an alley and raped, news website hk01.com reports.

She returned home but did not call the police. Later, she told a friend about her ordeal at the hands of the attacker, whom she described as South Asian.

The woman became emotional and bade her friend farewell. The friend called the police, fearing the woman might attempt suicide.

The police arrived in the woman's home and stopped her from harming herself.

The rape took place between the City University of Hong Kong student dormitory and the Kowloon MTR station, police said.

It was the third crime involving dating sites in the past three months.

On Dec. 23, police arrested a 26-year-old man after he tricked two women into meeting him. He held them against their will in a flat and and raped them.

Also last month, a 37-year-old flight attendant was swindled out of HK$250,000 by a South African man she had met on Tinder.

The woman had also bought the man an iPhone and a laptop computer.

Linda Wong, executive director of rape crisis centre Rainlily, said online dating apps are becoming popular and many see them as a way to make friends.

Wong warned female users that criminals are often well prepared to strike at their prey.

When meeting a friend made online, women should ask friends or family members to accompany them.

Since its launch in 2012, Tinder claims 26 million daily matches.

Users log into the app with their Facebook accounts and the Tinder app displays users’ name, age, photos and hobbies to match prospective dates.

It enables direct chats between parties.

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