Tinder Rapist’s Trial Sparks Debate on Online Dating Safety and App Responsibility

The trial of Salim Berrada, the so-called ‘Tinder rapist’, has been closely followed in Paris as he faces a prison sentence of up to twenty years. The 38-year-old photographer is accused of raping or sexually assaulting approximately seventeen women between 2014 and 2016. He met his victims through dating apps, including Tinder.

The public prosecutor on Thursday called Berrada “an insatiable egocentric hunter” and demanded a strict sentence. Many people have expressed support for the victims and their families during the trial, with civil parties, many of them young women in their twenties, showing up in large numbers.

Berrada himself continues to deny that he has abused women. According to him, the relationships were consensual and some claims were completely fabricated. However, the court has heard testimony from multiple witnesses who allege that he targeted vulnerable young women on dating apps and manipulated them into having sex with him against their will.

The case has sparked significant debate about online dating safety and the responsibility of dating apps in screening users. Many people are calling for greater transparency and accountability from these platforms in order to protect users from predators like Berrada. The outcome of this trial will also have implications for future cases involving sexual assault and rape facilitated through online platforms.