By GEMMA ASKHAM
For the second time in as many months, people have taken a swipe at Tinder for its role in ‘hooking-up’ devastating crimes against women.
In October, a 28-year-old New Zealand woman claimed she was gang-raped in a Sydney bar after meeting up with a man she met on Tinder.
Today, Gable Tostee, the Brisbane man accused of murdering his Tinder date Warriena Wright on his balcony, was granted bail – but on the condition that he does not use Tinder again.
If you follow this logic, when it comes to apportioning blame for these brutal, tragic, unacceptable events, there’s one standout perpetrator: Tinder.
Because if there’s one thing that’s going to make someone allegedly break the law, it’s an app…. convincing? I think not.
TINDER IS NOT TO BLAME. AN APP IS NOT TO BLAME FOR VIOLENCE.
THE BLAME LIES WITH THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME.
Which is why granting bail to an accused killer, at least partly on the condition they don’t use Tinder while they’re out, feels deeply misguided.
To recap the case, Gable Tostee and Warriena Wright met up on August 8 and drank in Tostee’s 14th floor apartment, until Wright fell to her death in the early hours of the morning. It’s alleged that a fight broke out beforehand, though Tostee denies murder, claiming he wasn’t on the balcony at the time.
Although the court granted Tostee bail – after his parents coughed up a $200,000 surety – police actually opposed his application, arguing he posed an unacceptable risk to the community and calling his behaviour unpredictable.
But at least he won’t be unpredictable on Tinder now. Which makes us feel so much better, right?
NO! BECAUSE TINDER IS NOT TO BLAME IN THIS.
When speaking about the alleged Sydney gang-rape that followed a Tinder date, Karen Willis, Chief Executive of Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia, told the Daily Telegraph that we shouldn’t blame the app for assaults, but the people who use it.
“Tinder does not create sex offenders, it just gives them a tool,” she said.
And that’s the point. Because if someone is evil – or wants to do evil things – they will find a way to do so without using an app.
So while it’s easy to blame Tinder for facilitating crimes instead of happily ever afters, it’s not the problem here. Blame belongs one place only – firmly on the conscience of the person who did the crime. And that, hopefully, can’t be deleted as quickly as an app can.
Top Comments
I am not defending Tostee here, but he doesn't just "claim" he wasn't on the balcony, it has been established that he wasn't. The police and prosecution say they know he wasn't on the balcony, they aren't contending that he threw her. They are suggesting that she jumped or fell while trying to escape from him.
Please keep in mind that this man has not been convicted. And regardless of what personal thoughts may conclude he has a right to an fair and unbiased trial. There would have been many factors considered when placing conditions of bail, not just the use of a dating app. That is the legal system I want operating and is one we should all encourage.