Dating Safety Tips

Qaliye is designed to help adults in Ethiopian, Eritrean, and wider Habesha communities form genuine and meaningful connections.

These safety tips are provided for general guidance and do not guarantee your safety. They should be read alongside our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Community Guidelines.

Most people use dating apps with good intentions, but meeting someone new always requires care. Take your time, protect your personal information, respect your instincts, and use Qaliye’s reporting and blocking tools whenever necessary.

No Like, match, message, cultural connection, family connection, or shared background guarantees that someone is safe or trustworthy.

Do not feel pressured to move quickly.

Before meeting someone in person:

• spend time talking through Qaliye;
• ask reasonable questions about their life and intentions;
• look for consistency in what they tell you;
• consider having a voice or video call;
• pay attention to behaviour that feels controlling or suspicious; and
• avoid making major emotional or financial commitments too early.

Be cautious if someone:

• declares strong feelings immediately;
• pressures you to leave Qaliye quickly;
• avoids reasonable questions;
• repeatedly refuses voice or video calls;
• gives inconsistent information;
• becomes angry when you set boundaries; or
• pressures you to meet before you feel ready.

You are never required to continue a conversation or relationship.

Keeping early communication within Qaliye may make it easier to report inappropriate behaviour and provide relevant information during a safety investigation.

Be cautious if someone immediately asks you to move to:

• WhatsApp;
• Telegram;
• another messaging application;
• personal email;
• social media; or
• private telephone calls.

Moving to another platform is not automatically unsafe, but do not do so until you feel comfortable.

Once communication leaves Qaliye, our ability to review or respond to harmful behaviour may be limited.

Avoid sharing sensitive information too early.

This includes:

• your full home address;
• your exact workplace;
• your daily routine;
• your child’s school or childcare location;
• passport or identification documents;
• immigration documents;
• bank details;
• payment-card information;
• passwords;
• verification codes;
• national insurance or tax information;
• private medical information; and
• information that could be used to answer security questions.

Think carefully before sharing your:

• full legal name;
• telephone number;
• personal email address;
• social-media accounts;
• workplace details;
• live location; or
• family information.

Review photographs before uploading them. A photograph may unintentionally reveal:

• your home address;
• car registration;
• workplace;
• child’s school;
• identification documents; or
• another person’s private information.

Never send money or provide financial information to someone you have met through Qaliye, especially someone you have not met in person.

Be suspicious of requests involving:

• emergency expenses;
• medical bills;
• travel costs;
• visas or immigration fees;
• legal fees;
• family emergencies;
• customs charges;
• loans;
• mobile-money transfers;
• gift cards;
• cryptocurrency;
• investments;
• business opportunities;
• packages that supposedly require payment; or
• money needed to visit or marry you.

Scammers may spend weeks or months building trust before asking for money.

Do not provide:

• bank-account details;
• card numbers;
• PINs;
• passwords;
• one-time verification codes;
• online banking access; or
• copies of financial documents.

A genuine romantic relationship should not depend on secret, urgent, or repeated financial requests.

If someone asks you for money, stop the transaction and report the account.

Romance scammers may create convincing profiles and pretend to be emotionally committed.

Warning signs may include someone who:

• says they are in love unusually quickly;
• claims to live nearby but is always unable to meet;
• claims to work abroad, in the military, on an oil rig, or in another difficult-to-verify role;
• repeatedly experiences emergencies;
• asks you to receive or transfer money;
• asks you to open a bank or cryptocurrency account;
• asks you to accept deliveries or packages;
• sends suspicious links;
• requests intimate photographs and later threatens to share them;
• pressures you to keep the relationship secret; or
• discourages you from discussing the relationship with family or friends.

Do not allow someone to use your bank account to receive or transfer money. You could unknowingly become involved in fraud or money laundering.

Before meeting, consider taking reasonable steps to confirm the person’s identity.

You may:

• request a live voice or video call;
• check that their appearance matches their photographs;
• ask normal questions about their profile;
• look for major inconsistencies; and
• use Qaliye’s verification information where available.

Verification can reduce some risks, but it does not guarantee that a person is safe, truthful, or suitable for you.

Do not carry out harassment, stalking, unauthorised background checks, or invasive searches.

Think carefully before sending intimate photographs or videos.

Once content has been sent, the recipient may:

• take a screenshot;
• record it;
• save it;
• copy it; or
• share it outside Qaliye.

Never send intimate content under pressure.

Do not include your face, address, workplace, identification documents, or other identifying details in sensitive content.

If someone threatens to share your private or intimate content:

• do not pay them;
• save available evidence;
• stop communicating where safe;
• block and report the account;
• contact the relevant platform;
• contact local law enforcement where appropriate; and
• seek support from a trusted person or specialist organisation.

Threatening to share intimate content is abusive and may be unlawful.

Qaliye prohibits nudity, pornography, unsolicited sexual content, and non-consensual intimate content.

A match does not create consent.

Consent must be:

• freely given;
• specific;
• informed;
• mutual; and
• capable of being withdrawn at any time.

Someone may change their mind at any stage.

Never pressure another person to:

• reply;
• share their telephone number;
• send photographs;
• discuss sexual topics;
• meet in person;
• drink alcohol;
• go to a private location;
• enter a relationship; or
• engage in physical or sexual activity.

Clearly communicate your own boundaries and respect the other person’s boundaries.

Silence, hesitation, fear, intoxication, or previous consent should not be treated as current consent.

For your first meetings, choose a populated public place such as:

• a café;
• a restaurant;
• a shopping centre;
• a museum;
• a public park during busy daylight hours; or
• another public venue.

Avoid meeting for the first time:

• at your home;
• at their home;
• in an isolated location;
• in a hotel room;
• in a private vehicle;
• late at night in an unfamiliar place; or
• somewhere without reliable transport or mobile reception.

Do not allow cultural expectations, family pressure, embarrassment, or fear of appearing rude to override your safety.

You may cancel or leave a meeting at any time.

Before meeting someone, tell a trusted friend or family member:

• the person’s name;
• their Qaliye profile information;
• where you are meeting;
• the date and time;
• when you expect to return; and
• how you plan to travel.

Consider:

• sharing a screenshot of the profile;
• arranging a check-in time;
• agreeing on a code word;
• sharing your live location with a trusted person; and
• asking someone to call you during the meeting.

Do not rely on the person you are meeting for your only way home.

Travel to and from the meeting independently where possible.

Avoid allowing someone you have just met to:

• collect you from your home;
• learn your home address;
• drive you to an unfamiliar place;
• control when you can leave; or
• take possession of your telephone, keys, or belongings.

Keep enough money and battery power to return home safely.

Know the location of nearby transport, taxis, public areas, or staff who can help.

During an in-person meeting:

• keep your food and drinks with you;
• do not accept an opened drink from someone you do not trust;
• avoid leaving a drink unattended;
• watch staff prepare or serve drinks where possible;
• be cautious about drinking too much alcohol; and
• do not use substances that reduce your awareness or judgement.

If you suddenly feel unusually:

• dizzy;
• confused;
• sleepy;
• sick; or
• physically unwell,

seek help from venue staff, a trusted person, emergency services, or medical professionals.

Do not leave with the person if you feel unsafe.

You do not need proof that something is wrong before ending an interaction.

Pay attention if someone:

• ignores your boundaries;
• becomes possessive or controlling;
• monitors your location;
• demands access to your telephone;
• insults or humiliates you;
• threatens you;
• pressures you for sex, marriage, money, or immigration support;
• attempts to isolate you from friends or family;
• uses culture or religion to control you;
• refuses to accept rejection; or
• makes you feel afraid or uncomfortable.

You may:

• stop responding;
• unmatch;
• block;
• report;
• cancel a meeting; or
• leave immediately.

Your safety is more important than being polite.

Qaliye respects the importance that culture, religion, tradition, and family may have in Habesha relationships.

However, no cultural or family expectation justifies:

• forced marriage;
• coercion;
• threats;
• surveillance;
• emotional abuse;
• financial exploitation;
• sexual pressure;
• honour-based abuse;
• violence; or
• controlling behaviour.

You have the right to decide:

• who you communicate with;
• whether you meet;
• whether you continue a relationship;
• whether you involve family;
• whether you marry; and
• when you end contact.

Seek confidential professional help if you believe you are facing forced marriage, honour-based abuse, domestic abuse, or family coercion.

Be particularly careful when communicating across different countries.

International dating may involve additional risks involving:

• false identity;
• travel scams;
• visa or immigration scams;
• requests for sponsorship;
• money-transfer fraud;
• fake shipping or customs charges;
• legal and cultural differences; and
• difficulty verifying personal information.

Do not:

• pay for someone’s visa without careful independent verification;
• send identification or immigration documents unnecessarily;
• agree to sponsor someone under pressure;
• enter a marriage solely to assist immigration;
• accept suspicious packages;
• transfer money on someone’s behalf; or
• rely only on documents sent by the person.

Seek independent legal advice before making significant immigration, financial, or marriage commitments.

Qaliye is for adults aged 18 and over.

Do not:

• allow a child to use your account;
• create a profile for a child;
• involve children in adult dating conversations;
• share a child’s address, school, routine, or identifying information;
• use children to pressure another user; or
• send inappropriate content involving children.

Be careful about introducing a new partner to your children. Take time to establish trust and consider the child’s wellbeing.

Report any account that appears to belong to someone under 18.

Any suspected sexual exploitation or endangerment of a child should be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities.

Before sexual activity, communicate openly about:

• consent;
• contraception;
• sexually transmitted infections;
• testing;
• protection;
• pregnancy intentions; and
• personal boundaries.

Use appropriate protection and seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals.

Do not rely only on another person’s statements about their health.

Never remove or interfere with contraception or protection without the other person’s knowledge and consent.

Qaliye does not provide medical advice.

When safe to do so:

1. stop communicating;
2. save relevant evidence;
3. use Qaliye’s Block feature;
4. submit an in-app report;
5. tell a trusted person;
6. review your privacy and location settings; and
7. contact law enforcement or emergency services where appropriate.

Evidence may include:

• screenshots;
• messages;
• profile information;
• dates and times;
• payment requests;
• telephone numbers; and
• external account details.

Do not put yourself at additional risk to collect evidence.

Use Block when you do not want another person to contact or interact with you.

Use Reportwhen you believe someone has violated Qaliye’s Community Guidelines.

You can report concerns such as:

• suspected underage users;
• fake profiles;
• impersonation;
• harassment;
• threats;
• hate speech;
• nudity or sexual content;
• unsolicited intimate images;
• scams;
• requests for money;
• spam;
• stalking;
• violence; or
• other unsafe behaviour.

Blocking and reporting are separate actions. Where appropriate, use both.

You do not need to inform someone before blocking or reporting them.

Qaliye may review relevant account information, profile content, and messages where reasonably necessary to investigate a report.

Qaliye is not an emergency service.

If you or another person is in immediate danger:

• move to a safe public place if possible;
• contact your local emergency services;
• alert venue staff, security personnel, or someone nearby;
• contact a trusted friend or family member; and
• seek medical assistance where necessary.

In the United Kingdom, call 999 or 112 in an emergency.

Do not wait for Qaliye support to respond before contacting emergency services.

For non-emergency safety concerns, reports, or questions, use the reporting tools inside the application or contact:

When contacting us, provide relevant details without sending unnecessary sensitive information.

Take your time.

Protect your personal and financial information.

Never send money to someone you have met through a dating platform.

Meet in public, tell someone where you are going, arrange your own transportation, respect consent, and leave whenever you feel unsafe.

You are always allowed to say no, stop communicating, unmatch, block, report, or ask for help.