Sexual Scripts and the Normalisation of Sexual Harassment on Tinder

Dating applications have become an indispensable part of contemporary dating culture, yet concerns persist regarding the high prevalence of online sexual harassment. This book explains the relationship between the normalisation of online sexual harassment and the sexual scripts of heterosexual Tinder users aged 18-25, studying in Ghent, Belgium. This research investigated whether normalisation both stems from and/or influences users’ gendered expectations and behaviours in romantic and sexual interactions.

A mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 82 active Tinder users (and a control group of 185 non-users) with 51 in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that Tinder users endorse hybrid sexual scripts that differ substantially from those of non-users of dating apps. The dating platform encouraged more traditional dating practices, combined with hook-up scripts. Online sexual harassment was widespread, particularly among women, who reported significantly higher exposure to sexually harassing messages than female non-users of dating apps. The findings further show that prolonged exposure to Tinder’s culture influences users’ sexual scripts, leading to shifts in their boundaries and expectations. Users have a higher tolerance for textual harassment on Tinder and shrug it off as ordinary behaviour. The evidence regarding the impact of endorsing traditional scripts on the normalisation of harassment was mixed and inconclusive, warranting further research.

Laura Byn earned the degrees of Master of Laws and Master of Criminological Sciences at Ghent University. This book is based on her doctoral dissertation to obtain the title of Doctor of Criminological Sciences at Ghent University.