Queer People See More Harassment in Dating Apps Than Straights

A recent Pew Research poll dug deeper into trends that people experience in online dating. According to results, lesbian, gay, and bisexual users are more frequently subjected to harassment than straight users.

The data showed that 48 percent of LGB dating app users have experienced someone contacting them long after they expressed they weren't interested, compared to 35 percent of straight users.

Furthermore, 17 percent of LGB users said that they've had people threaten to physically abuse them, compared to only 7 percent of straight users.

Overall, researchers found that LGB adults are more avid users of online dating than straight people. In fact, 55 percent of LGBs claimed they've used an online dating site or app in the past, compared to 28 percent of straight people.

Additionally, 28 percent of LGB adults say they met their partners online, compared to 11 percent of straight people; and 37 percent of LGB adults are currently using an online dating site or app, compared to 24 percent of straight people.

More than half of LGB online daters (56 percent) said they have received a sexually explicit message or image they didn't ask for, compared to 32 percent of straight users.

Even more illuminating is that 90 percent of LGB online daters actually think it's "common" for people to receive sexually explicit messages or images they didn't ask for, compared to 80 percent of straight users.

Research also showed that 41 percent (or four in 10) LGB online daters say that someone has called them an offensive name on a dating site or app, compared to 25 percent of straight users.

Pew was also quick to note that a large majority of LGB online daters (78 percent) feel that "dating sites and apps are a very or somewhat safe way to meet people," compared to 69 percent of straight online daters.