Tinder Rapist Sentenced to 19 Years: Implications for Online Dating Safety

In Paris, a court has ordered a prison sentence of nineteen years against Salim Berrada, the so-called ‘Tinder rapist’. The 38-year-old photographer was accused of raping or sexually assaulting approximately seventeen women between 2014 and 2016. The victims were met through dating apps, including Tinder.

The public prosecutor on Thursday called him “an insatiable egocentric hunter” and demanded a strict sentence. Berrada himself continues to deny that he has abused women, stating that the relationships were consensual and some claims were fabricated. He will be given one last chance to speak on Friday before a final decision is made.

The trial has attracted significant attention from the public, with many young women in their twenties attending in large numbers. Since the proceedings began, civil parties have also shown up in large numbers to support the victims. The outcome of this trial is expected to have implications for future cases involving sexual assault and rape facilitated through online platforms.

In addition, the responsibility of dating apps in screening users is likely to be discussed in the coming days. The maximum prison sentence for rape is twenty years, but it remains to be seen what other consequences Berrada will face beyond his prison term. Despite his denials, Berrada’s actions have had a profound impact on online dating safety and have raised questions about how dating apps can better protect their users from predators like him.