Meet at a time and on a day that’s convenient for you. Be suspicious if your date insists on meeting at odd hours unless they have a legitimate reason.

Do not accept a lift from your date. If you can’t drive to the chosen location then get a friend to drive you, take public transport or a taxi. If you can’t get there by yourself don’t go.

Tell a friend or family member where you’re going, what time you’re meeting, and how long you expect to be. Give the friend a copy of your date’s contact details and make sure your date knows you’ve done this. Letting your online dating partner know that you’re giving someone else their contact is a common courtesy but also makes sure they know people are looking out for you.

Keep your cell phone with you and switch it on at all times. If you change locations, such as moving to a different bar or restaurant, call or text message your friend to keep them updated. Arrange to have the friend call you at a specified time, such as one hour into the date, to check how things are going. Chances are you’ll be having a great time and want to chat about their cute smile but if things aren’t going well the call will give you an excuse to leave.

Refrain from excessive drinking or any other activity that could impair your judgment and lead to poor decision-making. Sure, you’re out to have a good time but if everything goes well there will be many, many more good times to come. Getting trashed is also poor dating etiquette.

Do not leave your personal belongings or drink unattended at any time. If you go to the bathroom take your phone, bag, and/or wallet with you. Do not risk having your details stolen. Keep any drinks close to you at all times and if you’ve left it, leave it. Half a warm beer isn’t worth risking your safety.

Be aware of your date’s behavior and body language. Shows of anger, possessiveness, frustration, or attempts to pressure or threaten you should set off alarm bells; proceed with great caution. Alternatively, if they’re sitting up and leaning slightly toward you, showing interest in your conversation, and maintaining eye contact you’ve got a winner!

If you are made to feel uncomfortable at any time attract the attention of someone around you. Tell a waitress, a security guard, a passerby, a stranger in the bathroom – just attract the attention and support of someone around you – and leave. If your date insists on walking you to a car parked down an alley or in a deserted parking lot stop where you are, call a cab, and collect your car another time. Your safety is more important than worrying about causing your date offense.

It may sound like a cliché but always trust your instincts. If your gut is telling you to leave, then leave. Similarly, if your gut is telling you that you’ve met the most amazing person in the world, arrange a second date!

Always take a taxi to and from the airport. Wanting to see the other person as soon as you get off the plane is natural but keep your safety in mind. Meet them at the airport by all means but do not get into a private vehicle with them or let them transport your luggage in a private vehicle.

Keep the name and exact location of your hotel to yourself until you are completely sure of the other person’s intentions. Arrange public meeting places until you’re comfortable in each other’s company.

Before departing give your friends and family a detailed itinerary and the contact details of both your hotel and the other person. Stay in constant touch with people back home through emails and phone calls. Make sure the other person is aware that friends and family know where you are, what you’re doing, and when you plan to return.

Research where you’re going and familiarize yourself with local customs, traditions, and dangers. You are, of course, expecting a guided tour but collecting some useful knowledge will show not only that you’re interested but that you’re sensible and well prepared. Always take out comprehensive travel insurance and travel with reputable companies.

Long-distance and overseas travel can be exciting, confronting, and confounding but there’s a difference between getting outside your comfort zone and being uncomfortable. Always trust your instincts and act responsibly.

Rape is the most common type of sexual assault. Date rape is when a date (or an acquaintance) forces you to have sex without consent. Sometimes this could be a stranger at a party but many times it could be someone you know. Women are more likely to be victims of date rape. While women of any age can be a victim of date rape, it is found that ladies aged 15 – 24 are at a higher risk.

You will often hear of date rape being associated with drugs. This is because several times the victim is drugged on a date and then raped. The drugs make the victim unable to resist assault and sometimes the victim even has no memory of being assaulted. The drugs and dangerous and very powerful and are usually slipped into a drink when the victim is unaware. As they usually have no particular taste or smell, it is even harder to spot a drink that has been drugged.

The three most common date rape drugs are Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine. Each of these drugs has several street names as well. For example, Rohypnol is commonly known as R-2, Roach, or Rophies; GHB is also known as Cherry Meth, Liquid Ecstasy, Easy Lay while Ketamine is sometimes known as Kit Kat, Cat Valium, K-Hole, etc.

Sexual assault and date rape are not common occurrences when meeting an online date. Read and follow the safety advice for meetings that we have outlined so you are well prepared. In addition, some of the following tips will probably be useful too.

Always take the time to get well-acquainted with someone before you plan a meeting.

While on the date, always be very aware of your surroundings.

Keep an eye on your drink at all times.

Getting a girl drunk is a common ploy so watch how much alcohol you drink, if at all.

Be cautious during your first few meetings and stay away from dark and lonely places.

If you believe you may be a victim of sexual assault, the first thing you should do is contact the police immediately and report the crime, no matter how big or small. It is common for victims to blame themselves in a case of assault, however, you must always remember that your attacker had absolutely no justification.

• If you feel you cannot handle it alone, try talking to understanding family members or friends about how you feel.
• If necessary, you can also speak with an experienced counselor who can help you deal with it.
• If you have been raped, it is also a good idea to see a doctor who can test you for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

US Info– The National Sexual Assault Hotline – 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

The Department of Justice lists several National Organizations that might be helpful.

Violence Against Women Online Resources provides a lot of material too.

–  Sexual Assault information at The National Center for Victims of Crime

–  National Clearinghouse on Marital and Date Rape

UK Info– Victim Support is a great website for information and help.

Australia Info – 1800-200-526 – The National Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Helpline

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has several publications on its website about sexual assault. The New South Wales government has a website dedicated to Date Rape and it contains lots of valuable information.

Male Victims – The About Date Rape website acknowledges that while male rape may not be as common, it does exist and has information for guys who may have been victims.

While you have your head excitedly stuck in travel guides and tourist brochures your dream destination could be suffering local violence, terror attacks, or natural disasters.

From time to time, certain countries become unsafe for travel whether it be for political reasons, health warnings, or terrorism threats. Most governments issue safety warnings to keep citizens well aware of the dangers of traveling to some high-risk areas.

• S. Citizens – U.S. Department of State
• Canadian Citizens – Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
• UK Citizens – Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Australian Citizens – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

How Are You Getting There?

Every country has different entry requirements depending on your nation of citizenship. The one thing you’ll need for sure is a valid passport with at least 6 months before expiry. A lot of countries require a visa for entry, some of which require pre-trip preparation. Check the following sites, travel agents, your government, and the embassy of your destination country to make sure you meet entry requirements.

Every country has different entry requirements depending on your nation of citizenship. The one thing you’ll need for sure is a valid passport with at least 6 months before expiry. A lot of countries require a visa for entry, some of which require pre-trip preparation. Check the following sites, travel agents, your government, and the embassy of your destination country to make sure you meet entry requirements.

S. Citizens – International travel information

Canadian Citizens – Visa information for Canadian travelers

UK citizens – Foreign and Commonwealth Office information

Australian citizens – Information to Travel from Australia

A valid passport is essential for traveling abroad because it is required to enter and leave a country. Check the rules for the country you are visiting because some countries require your passport to be valid for the duration of your visit as well as for three to six months after you enter their country.

Take a look at the links below to find more country-specific information about passports.

• S. citizens– U.S. Department of State
• – Travel Documents System
• Canadian citizens– Passport Canada
• UK citizens– Identity and Passport Service
• Australian citizens– Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• New Zealand citizens – Department of Internal Affairs

Before you head out of the country to visit your sweetheart or invite them to visit you, check to see you have all the right travel documentation. Having a passport isn’t enough because sometimes the destination country may require you to have a visa before allowing you to enter the country. You can obtain a visa from the consulate of the destination in your country and since you will be visiting, you will need a tourist visa.

For more information, take a look at some of these websites:

Traveling to the USA– S. Department of State

Travelling to the UK – UK Border Agency

Traveling to Canada – Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Traveling to Australia – Australian Electronic Travel Authority

Traveling to Thailand – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Traveling to Japan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Traveling to the Philippines – Department of Foreign Affairs

Traveling to Indonesia – com

Traveling to China – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Leave copies of your itinerary, passport, visa, insurance policies, plane tickets, and accommodation with friends and family members. Stay in constant touch with home while you’re away through email and phone calls. Not only is this a safe and sensible move, but you’ll also be able to share all the cool details of your trip and have backups in case you lose any information.

You may also be able to register with your government or embassy so that your whereabouts are known in the event of a large-scale problem.

When traveling, carrying large amounts of cash with you is never advisable. Instead, carry traveler’s checks and/or credit and debit cards. If you are carrying plastic money (cards), make sure your card can be used at ATM locations internationally. There may be a fee for this but usually, cards with the MasterCard, Visa, Cirrus, or Maestro logos on them are accepted worldwide.

MasterCard Global ATM Locator

Visa ATM Locator

What Are The Health Requirements?

Some countries pose more health risks than others and therefore the health and vaccination requirements vary in each country. Find out the relevant rules and get all the necessary vaccinations before you head out for your visit. Apart from your vaccination, you might also want to get travel health insurance, just in case you fall sick while you are on holiday. Some of these websites have useful health information for travelers:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Net doctor travel health

Travel Health Online

There is always the possibility of something going wrong while you’re overseas. The most important bit of advice is to keep your guard up and be well aware of things that could go wrong. If you’re well prepared there is very little that could turn into a disaster. Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance that will cover all the activities that you’re likely to do (check skiing, golf, diving, etc) as well as all your possessions. Know where your country’s embassies are in your destination country and keep important phone numbers and addresses, such as emergency services and embassies, with you at all times. Importantly, don’t freak out about the little stuff. A stolen camera or a mild case of tummy sickness shouldn’t spoil your trip.

Take appropriate clothing, footwear, and other gear for your trip. If you’re mountain climbing leave the stilettos at home but you’ll be equally uncomfortable wearing hiking boots in a nice Parisian restaurant. Know what the weather will be like, know what you’ll be doing, and pack well but lightly.

Take spare passport-sized photos and keep photocopies of your documents in a separate part of your luggage from the originals. Also save scanned copies of your documents and important address and phone numbers in your email inbox so they can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

Stash an emergency credit card and some cash in US$ somewhere separate from your main money compartment. Come theft, disaster, or accident if you’ve got good travel insurance, cash or plastic, and an accessible copy of your documents and emergency numbers you will be fine.

Spotting a sex trafficker while you’re trying to find a special someone can be a hard ask but here are some signs to look out for:

• Instant Love

If he’s professing his undying love within a few days of knowing you, there’s more than one reason to think there might be something wrong here. The first step to trapping their potential victim is to get her emotionally involved. Therefore, it is always advisable to take the time to get to know other members on the site as someone you have only known for a few days is more likely to be a fraud than someone you have been chatting with for a few months.

• Job Promises

This is the most common bait sex traffickers use. They will usually promise you a job, tell you to come to a different country where you can work (often as a waitress), promise you big money, and the like. But when you reach the other country, there’s no job waiting for you and most often these sex traffickers use the promise of a job to trick and coerce women into prostitution.

• Willingness to Pay

Several men out there are genuinely willing to sponsor their girlfriends to be able to visit them. While most men are legitimate, some use this as a ploy, and girls are often forced into prostitution and subsequently made to “pay off the debt”. Not everyone is trying to dupe you but if someone’s behavior is suspicious and they are over eager for you to visit them, you should think twice. For example, if you have only been chatting with them for a few days and they are offering to pay for everything already, it could be dodgy. However, if you have known the other member for a long time and they are willing to pay for you, it is more likely to be genuine.

The best thing to do would be to ask the man to visit you instead of you visiting him, as this is infinitely safer. Only someone genuinely interested in you is likely to make the effort to come and meet you. Also, since you will be in familiar territory it will be harder to deceive you and since it is your home town, you can easily call for help if there is any trouble.

As horrifying as sex trafficking is, there are some myths surrounding it too.

Only in Poor Countries

That’s not true. While sex trafficking is very prevalent in poorer Asian countries, it is very common in the USA, Canada, and other developed nations too. One of the most common trafficking ploys is the trafficker offering the victim an illegal job to work as a waitress in the USA. Sadly, many fall for it and end up being forced into prostitution instead.

Illegal Immigrants Get No Help

Very often, victims of trafficking continue to do what they’re doing because they’re afraid of the authorities finding out they’re illegal immigrants and being deported. So a Thai girl in Japan or even a Russian girl who goes to America does not want to report anything, even if they have a chance because they have been convinced by the traffickers that illegal immigrants get no help. This is not true. Trafficking is a crime and irrespective of your immigration status, most countries are willing to help the victims and get others out of the situation too. Please refer to the Resources listed below to see how you can get help.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) includes provisions that allow victims of certain criminal activity to apply for legal immigration status in the United States:

U Visa: Victims of certain serious crimes, who have suffered substantial mental or physical harm as a result of criminal activity in the United States and who cooperate in the criminal investigation or prosecution of such crimes, are eligible to receive a U visa, and may eventually apply for legal permanent residency in the United States. The U visa is available to domestic violence victims who are not married to their abusers, or whose abusers are not US citizens or lawful permanent residents.

T Visa: Victims who have been subjected to severe forms of sex or labor trafficking and who cooperate in the criminal investigation or prosecution of such crimes are eligible to receive a T visa, and may eventually apply for legal permanent residency in the United States. To receive these immigration protections, an applicant must meet further specific eligibility requirements.

The truth is it could happen to almost anyone, in any part of the world. However, the key is to stay cautious and use your common sense when interacting with anyone online. If you are traveling overseas, make sure your family knows all the details about who you’re going to meet where you will be staying, etc. For more tips on how to stay when traveling overseas, please see our Resources section.

Here are some quick tips to stay safe online:

Always keep your guard up and take the time to get to know another member before you make plans to meet them.

It is much safer if you ask him to visit you rather than you going to an unknown city or country.

If someone is offering you illegal jobs in their country or making other tall promises to you, don’t take the bait and report the member to the dating site’s administrators instead.

The USA has a public sex offender database where you can type in the name of the person you’re chatting with online to check if they have any history of sex offenses. Check the database before you think of visiting your online boyfriend and if the results are positive for sex crimes, you should probably cancel your plans and stop chatting with the person.