TRUE Continues Nationwide Push to Better Protect Consumers From Engaging With
Potentially Dangerous Individuals; Urges Lawmakers and Consumers to Join
Important Cause
DALLAS, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Fighting to put an end to the growing list
of online tragedies, today TRUE(TM) issued a call to action, urging lawmakers
and consumers alike to support its nationwide legislation campaign aimed at
better protecting online daters from interacting with criminals. This call to
action comes on the heels of yet another online dating-related crime, reported
late last week in upstate New York. The victim, a 43 year-old woman from
Memphis, Tenn., was reportedly murdered by her husband of just one month, who
had previously been arrested for harassment in the late 1980s.
Initiated this past July, TRUE's proposed safety legislation requires that
all online dating providers prominently disclose on their Web sites whether
they perform criminal background searches on their members. Currently, TRUE
is the only online relationship service that actively promotes the safety of
its users by performing extensive criminal screening on all of its
communicating members.
In less than six months, TRUE has secured the support of legislators
across the country, including Sen. John Carona and Rep. Will Hartnett of
Texas, Representatives William J. Seitz and Scott Oelslager of Ohio, Delegate
David Albo of Virginia, Rep. Kevin C. Ambler of Florida, and Representatives
Jim Howell and Rick Johnson of Michigan. Furthermore, Michigan became the
first state to pass the bill in its House in October, with an overwhelming
bipartisan vote of 75 to 14. The Michigan Senate is expected to vote on the
bill soon.
"According to Jupiter Research, the number of singles subscribing to
Internet dating sites is expected to double over the next two years, which
unfortunately means that even more people could fall victim to online
predators," said Edgar Rains of Rapsheets, America's largest source of
criminal records on the Internet. "While background screening is not entirely
foolproof, it does offer an increased level of comfort that does not exist
with other online dating sites right now."
In addition to support from lawmakers, organizations including Working to
Halt Online Abuse (WHOA) have also joined TRUE's cause. Founded in 1997 to
fight online harassment through the education of the general public as well as
law enforcement personnel, WHOA will work in partnership with TRUE to generate
even more support by writing letters to legislators, testifying at hearings
and urging consumers to support this safer dating effort and make their voices
heard at http://www.saferdating.true.com .
"We see up to 50 victims of online harassment/stalking each week," Jayne
Hitchcock, president of WHOA states. "Some of these have had the unfortunate
experience of meeting someone online, whether via an online dating service,
chat room or personal ad, and have had a negative experience. So far, these
victims (both men and women) have not had their lives taken as a result, or
been physically abused, and we were able to stop the online harassment before
it escalated to such a point. Putting a disclaimer on a Web site stating
whether or not they provide a marital and/or criminal background check is a
very simple solution and much easier than requiring every online dating
service to do these checks. This then leaves a man or woman the option of
joining that service, knowing what they can expect. And it could save their
life."
"Since August, our background searches have prevented 218 individuals from
communicating on our site. It's impossible to estimate how many victims were
saved by this extremely simple procedure," said Herb Vest, founder and CEO of
TRUE. "As an industry, I feel it's our obligation to provide members with the
most extensive, accurate and trustworthy information available regarding
potential suitors so they can make successful and, most importantly, safer
relationship decisions."
About TRUE
TRUE is safer, savvy, and the only scientifically-based online
relationship service whose mission is to help singles find long lasting and
fulfilling relationships. Founded on an advanced, scientific compatibility
test uniquely endorsed by Psychology Today and independently certified by one
of the leading experts in tests and measurements -- Integrated Knowledge
Systems, Inc. -- to meet the Standards for Educational and Psychological
Testing, TRUE is the only online relationship service that actively seeks to
further protect the safety of its communicating members by conducting
extensive criminal background screenings. Moreover, TRUE is the only site to
conduct single verification screening. With the help of proprietary research
and the industry's most extensive team of scientists, relationship experts and
psychologists, TRUE also guides its members step-by-step through all stages of
the relationship-building process.
SOURCE TRUE
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Related links:
http://www.true.com
http://www.saferdating.true.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/919610.html
CONTACT:
Olivia Horoshko of Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide, +1-310-248-6183, or Olivia.Horoshko@ogilvypr.com , for
TRUE; or Taylor L. Cole, APR of TRUE, +1-972-402-4813, or
Taylor.Cole@true.com
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