You have met an interesting person on Catchyy. Your communication is going smoothly and you want to meet this person in real life. What should you pay attention to so that your first date is safe and brings only positive emotions?

1. Agree to a date only with a person who meets all the criteria of a “safe user” on the site. This means that your new acquaintance was sincere in their communication, did not behave aggressively or disrespectfully, did not demand personal information, money or services from you.

2. Choose crowded places for the first meeting that you know well and that are not located too close to your home or place of work. Do not agree to meet at strangers' homes.

3. Warn one of your relatives or friends about where you are going and with whom. It would also be a good idea to share your geolocation with a person you trust, or a link to the profile of the user you are going to meet.

4. Moderate your alcohol consumption. Sobriety is the main rule of safety on a first date. If possible, do not leave your drink unattended and end the date as soon as you feel unwell.

5. Have an escape plan. If you feel that the date is not going as you would like, for example, the person is being aggressive or harassing, you should have a plan on how to quickly leave the meeting place. To do this, you can agree on a prearranged signal with a loved one that you need help. Also make sure that you have enough cash and a well-thought-out route to a safe place.

6. Make sure that emergency contacts are available in advance. This can be contact with your loved ones or friends, but first of all - a quick connection to emergency services such as the police and ambulance.

7. Familiarise yourself with ways to report a problem to strangers. If you are unable to contact loved ones or emergency services, do not hesitate to ask for help from others. Find out what signals exist in your area (for example, certain gestures, phrases, or names of drinks at a bar that signal that you are in danger and need help) and use them.

Don’t be shy about ending a date if you feel uncomfortable. If you don’t like the way a person is behaving or what they are offering; if you feel that your safety is being threatened, don’t tolerate it. End the meeting and go to a safe place.