A National Film Board of Canada Production

This project was produced as part of the ON FILME initiative and is now available on the ONF’s YouTube channel.

Though the phenomenon of sexual violence is nothing new, sexual predators’ “hunting grounds” have certainly changed. There are inherent risks in using social media and dating apps that must be taken seriously by female users and governments, legal systems and police departments. 

How can women be safe online? And what are dating apps’ responsibilities here? Based on the phenomenon of women’s Facebook groups like “Are We Dating The Same Guy?,” Anne-Lovely Etienne has created a vital space for discussion so that we can better understand, expose and prevent gender-based violence online.  

The dark side of dating apps.

In 2023, a single post on the Facebook group “Are We Dating The Same Guy?” turned my perception of online dating upside down. Three years later, I care more than ever about raising women’s awareness, awakening people to the issues and highlighting a new and hugely important social phenomenon: the digital sisterhood. 

This project has been supported by the courage of the women who’ve chosen to speak out and talk about their experiences, despite the fear of being judged, to remind us of a fundamental truth: love should never be equated with danger. 

My greatest wish is that this notion will reach through the screen and become part of your discussions with co-workers, your girls’ nights out, your family dinner conversations. Because though women’s safety is an age-old issue, it has become even more precarious in the digital era.  

If this project can spark discussions, or even just help one woman feel a little less alone, it will have been a success.

Moyen métrage (36 min) – What risks are women taking when they use dating apps, and are there effective ways to protect them? ​​Anne-Lovely Etienne examines the issue from the perspectives of victims, female police officers and a Crown prosecutor to discuss awareness, liability, the reporting process, citizen initiatives and recent legal advances.  

Coup d’œil (2 min) – Deeply affected by a story from the past that resurfaced on the Facebook support group for women AWDTSG? (“Are We Dating The Same Guy?”), Anne-Lovely Etienne goes on a mission to start a wide-ranging social discussion about the dark side of online dating.

Au foyer (43 min video podcast) – A conversation between Anne-Lovely Etienne, Lamia Djemoui (doctoral candidate in sociology and expert in feminist studies) and Vanessa Destiné (journalist and columnist) about violence against women and the emergence of a digital sisterhood in fourth-wave feminism. They discuss the risks of using dating apps and the questions of liability surrounding them. 

Gros plan (9 min)  –Anne-Marie Lefebvre, founder of the online dating community Rencontre sportive, explains the methods her site uses to give women a more safe and positive dating experience. In doing so, she talks about the risks, liabilities, proliferation and declining momentum of online dating platforms like Tinder.