UW student raped by man met on Tinder

SEATTLE, Wash. — A University of Washington student told police she was recently raped by a man she met on Tinder.

Investigators are now trying to figure out who the suspect is.

The alleged victim first swiped right on the suspect's Tinder profile in late February and eventually agreed to meet the man who identified himself as “Matt” on the popular dating app.

According to documents filed in King County Superior Court, the woman and man went on two dates during which she stated multiple times she did not want to have sex.  After the second date, “Matt” allegedly raped the woman in her Lander Hall dorm room.

A detective with the University of Washington Police Department filed a search warrant to get access to Tinder records in an effort to identify "Matt" through his user account.

“There’s obviously more of an opportunity to disguise who you are when you’re writing something online, and in an anonymous forum,” UWPD Major Steve Rittereiser told KIRO 7.

Rittereiser declined to comment on whether "Matt" has been identified, but applauded the victim for coming forward at all because many college rapes go unreported.

“I think she’s very brave,” he said.  “I also think she’s very educated in terms of understanding and knowing what’s right and what’s not right.  Clearly, when you say that you do not want to have sex with someone and yet that occurs against your will, that is certainly rape.”

Rittereiser advised dating app users be wary of anyone met online because it is so easy for someone to hide their identity, and that unidentified person can then be difficult to locate if necessary.

Cox Media Group