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“Catfishing,” cyberbullying, and coercion: An exploration of the risks associated with dating app use among rural sexual minority males

Lauckner, Carolyn ; Truszczynski, Natalia ; Lambert, Danielle ; Kottamasu, Varsha ; Meherally, Saher ; Schipani-McLaughlin, Anne Marie ; Taylor, Erica ; Hansen, Nathan (2019) — Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health

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DOI: 10.1080/19359705.2019.1587729 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   United States
Tags:   Catfishing, Cyberbullying, Mental Health, Online Dating Platforms, Online Deception, Rural Populations, Sexual Coercion, Sexual Minority Males
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Synopsis

            
This publication reports a qualitative study examining the online dating app experiences of rural sexual minority males in the United States. The researchers aimed to understand negative online dating experiences—specifically deception or catfishing, bullying or discrimination, and harassment or sexual coercion—and how these experiences might relate to mental and sexual health in this population. Participants were 20 adults aged 18 to 60 who lived in non-metropolitan areas and had used dating apps or websites. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with grounded theory methods to identify recurring themes. The study found widespread reports of deception on dating apps, with more than half of participants noting catfishing or related misrepresentations. Examples included profiles with altered ages, photos, or identities, and even encounters where the person who appeared online did not match the person who arrived in real life. Respondents described protective strategies such as avoiding old photos, requiring profile links to social media, or video chatting before meeting, and many emphasized meeting in public places for safety. In addition, about a quarter of participants described experiences of bullying or discrimination on dating apps, including racist remarks or profiles that exclude certain groups. A third group of respondents reported harassment or coercion, including pressure to engage in unwanted sexual activity or being exposed to unsolicited explicit material. The authors discuss the implications for mental and sexual health, noting that rural MSM may face compounded stress from minority status and geographic isolation. They acknowledge limitations including the small, predominantly White, cisgender sample and the focus on a specific rural region. The paper calls for further research and for practitioners to incorporate discussion of online dating experiences into sexual health and mental health assessments for rural sexual minority men.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited research on the mental and sexual health effects of dating-app experiences among rural sexual minority males. It notes no known studies on psychological effects of catfishing among sexual minority males, limited research on online-dating-related harassment and coercion in this population, and little knowledge of how rural context shapes app use, deception, and discrimination. Transgender people are also described as largely unrepresented in this literature.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
Qualitative interviews with 20 adults identifying as men who date or have sex with men and live in non-metropolitan U.S. areas, predominantly in the rural South. Participants first completed a larger quantitative survey and then took part in 30–90 minute semi-structured interviews in person or by phone. Interviews were transcribed, independently coded using a predetermined codebook, and analyzed through constructionist grounded theory; coding teams reached consensus using NVivo 11.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The small sample of 20 sexual minority males was concentrated in the rural South, and many lived in towns with a college or university. The sample was predominantly White and cisgender. Findings may not represent all sexual minority males or capture challenges faced by people of color, transgender people, or people in extremely rural areas, who may experience greater isolation or victimization. The qualitative design documents reported experiences but cannot estimate prevalence or establish health effects.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Conduct longitudinal research on dating-app deception, discrimination, harassment, and coercion to establish their mental and sexual health impacts. Examine the prevalence and mechanisms of online-dating-related sexual violence among sexual minority males. Study how rural settings shape deceptive practices and how app discrimination relates to offline discrimination. Use larger, more diverse samples, especially transgender people, sexual minority people of color, and people in extremely rural areas. Develop or integrate dating-app safety interventions for rural sexual minority males, potentially through online or mobile delivery.

          

              

    
    

        
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