An Auckland woman has created a website for Kiwi women to share red flags or safety concerns about men when dating.
Zoe Garrett created a Squarespace blog entitled 'Date Safe' this week following the death of young British backpacker Grace Millane.
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"I discovered a friend had been on a date with the alleged [killer] a year ago and had had concerns, a friend of a friend was in the same position, another friend almost went on a date with him," she tells Newshub.
Garrett, 29, says she and many of her friends have had unsavoury experiences while dating, including bad vibes and feeling unsafe.
Her hope is that Date Safe will allow women to share those experiences, as a vetting procedure for dating sites like Tinder.
"I'm still figuring out the legalities in sharing details and names and what extent I can go to," she says. She's hoping by women sharing first names, descriptions of pick-up lines and first date spots, they can create awareness without breaching any laws.
"I know overseas sex workers have as similar way of sharing the details dodgy clients, and use it to keep themselves safe," she says. "That's kind of what gave me the idea."
Garrett says she hopes the public 'outing' might make men think twice over less than savoury behaviour.
"When people are held accountable they might think twice about exhibiting these kinds of strange behaviours," she says.
Since the shocking death of Grace Millane in Auckland, a former flatmate of Millane's alleged murderer has come forward to describe him as "aggressive".
The woman lived with the accused in Auckland, telling RadioLIVE that at first the man, who has name suppression, was "chatty" and "reasonably easy to live". But it wasn't long before alarm bells began to ring.
Garrett says she hopes Date Safe will be a place for women to voice those alarm bells.
"I've met my last two boyfriends on Tinder and Bumble, but you do have to really sift through and be careful about who you meet," she says.
"It makes you quite resentful sometimes if you have to run your behaviours around what other people do."
Garrett also says she would appreciate any feedback or advice on how to run the site. You can contact her through the Sqaurespace page.
"It would be great to get the conversation flowing," she says.
Newshub.
