Safe Dating and Correspondence:

Here are some safety tips that come via a gracious Domme in the Winnipeg area who downloaded them off the internet...

Tips Before meeting:
Do not give out personal information to strangers. This includes your name, phone number, address, place of work or email addresses you use for other purposes. Get a P.O. Box if you need to get mail from them. Do not send money to your online interest. There are online users that earn a living by faking love and pretending to run into hard times.

When you make telephone calls, make sure your phone blocks caller ID or call from a public phone. Do not call collect. Your number will appear on their bill. Exchange multiple recent nonsexual photographs to avoid embarrassment and hurt feelings. Get a background check before meeting. There are several services that will do this through the Internet. Make it clear you are not going to engage in any BDSM activity on the initial dates.

During the meeting:
Meet in public places, preferably with a friend. Do not let your date pressure you into going somewhere else even if the date is going fine. Try to make your first date a daytime event. Drive yourself to and from the meeting place. Relying on them for transportation can put you in an unsafe position. Establish a safety net complete with safe calls and details on your date. Tell your safety net your date's information, where you went and what to do in case you do not make your safe calls. Make sure your date knows you have a safety net set up. It is a great deterrent. Bring along a cell phone on your date and do not become separated from it.

Do not drink alcohol on your date or leave your drink unattended. Never engage in bondage during your initial BDSM sessions. Do not leave your wallet or purse unattended. Your date may dig through them to find out information you do not want them to know. If you are traveling to the meeting, do not let them meet you at the airport or bus station. Use cabs or rental cars for going to and from the public meeting place. Do not stay with them or let them make arrangements for you.

Do not let them know where you are staying. Be aware that safe words, safe calls, contracts, negotiations or gut instincts will NOT fully protect you from a real criminal. Take your time and be sure what you are getting into. Criminals have less patience for difficult targets .