Experiences of seduction and unhealthy relationships

“I went to strangers”

Jeans, 19 years old

“I signed up at 14 on Grindr, a gay dating site for adults, out of curiosity. It was complicated, in my private Catholic college, to meet young people with the same sexual orientation as me and it was good to have someone to talk to about it freely. The problem is that anyone on Grindr can send you pictures and I was getting a lot of raw, sometimes disgusting pictures. I exchanged “nudes”, sometimes with my face. I was unconscious. I have been to strangers several times. I was lucky to come across nice and gentle people, I could have risked my life. I never told my parents about it. In my family, sexuality is taboo. »

« I didn’t realize it was unhealthy »

Flora,20 years

“I signed up on Tinder and Bumble when I was 15 to be like my friends. It was flattering to seduce taller and very cute boys, even if it remained virtual. Sometimes I told them I was under 18 and they didn’t care. I didn’t realize it was unhealthy. I felt like they looked at me like an adult and that made me feel good because at home everyone treated me like a child. At 16, I started my “dates” (date), but never alone. With my friends, we had “Tinder parties”. We “matched” with as many boys as possible and invited them to a party. I made lots of friends from different social backgrounds, but it never led to a lasting romantic relationship. When I travel, I use Tinder to meet young locals and find good deals. »

“I sent nude photos for him to like me”

Zoe, 16 years old

“I registered on Yubo in third grade. I had no self-confidence, I had fallen out with my friends and it reassured me to see that I could please boys. I met one, after three months of online discussion. He was 17 years old. At his request, I sent him “nudes” (nude photos), so that he loves me. I also invited him to my house. It could have been dangerous. At the time, I knew it wasn’t safe, but I said to myself: I’m doing my experiments. We stayed two weeks as a couple and he distanced himself overnight. On the advice of a friend, I started on Tinder, I was uncomfortable lying about my age. I spoke with many boys between 18 and 24 years old. Most were only looking for “nudes” or sex. They sent me a lot of photos of their penis which I deleted before blocking their account. The first few times, I was shocked; after that, I got used to it. The app is very addictive. I spent hours sorting “I like, I don’t like”, without wanting to discuss. We interact with so many people that we don’t remember anyone. »