When we get asked out on a date, even when just we’re going out with the girls, we get our hair done, we buy a new outfit maybe a new pair of shoes; we do everything we can to make sure we look and feel our best. We especially take extra care if we have a date planned with a new super hottie. We always tell our friends about them, what little details we know, as of yet anyway. The one thing some of us fail to think about however, is how to date safely.
These days there are way too many freaks out there, and even scarier, it could be that new super hot guy or Mr. Sly at the club that has been checking you out all night (he may want way more than your number). Seriously there are a number of steps a woman really must take before accepting and going out on that first date.
First Date Safety Tip #1:
Always get his phone number, this way you can call him when you’re ready. If he insists on having your number, kindly decline. It is entirely too easy to do a reverse phone look up and find out where you live. I used to hand out my number to a really attractive guy whenever he asked. That was until I had Stalker Boy who blew my phone up and threatened me a few times after I realized from the first phone call I was no longer interested.
First Date Safety Tip #2:
During your first conversation on the phone find out as many details about this guy as you can and do not immediately commit to a date, not just yet. The more you know the more you can actually verify. And yes I do mean conducting your own little background check. Think of it as an application process. I know it sounds demeaning but when it comes to dating safely, you can never be too trusting. Maybe I am biased from all the years I spent working in criminal justice but if I shared some of those first-date-gone-bad stories here, you wouldn’t think I was all that crazy when it comes to ferreting out the psychos…
Let him know during your conversation you just want to talk a few times before going out with him. If he can’t handle that, then this is a sure sign he has no respect for you right off the bat. Who wants that? If he’s o.k. with it, then continue with casually getting his info. Once you have his birthday, where he works, mutual friends (if any), then you can verify all the information. I thoroughly suggest looking through the local court records and call local authorities to be sure they have never heard of him as well. Hey, better safe than sorry. Trust me.
First Date Safety Tip #3:
If everything checks out, go ahead and schedule your first date. When you do, make sure your friends are well aware of where the two of you will be going and what time. And of course, it never hurts to have a friend call you with an “emergency” that you must take in the ladies room about a half hour after your date starts. This is just so she can check in and make sure things are going well. If it’s not, you have a wonderful excuse to cut things short!
First date tips from Vanae Tran
