Available resources for students in toxic, abusive relationships

BY ANA SOPHIA PAPA Staff Writer

Long Beach State offers resources to help students and Long Beach residents who are in toxic or abusive relationships.

In the United States, incidents of sexual violence, intimate partner violence and stalking are frequent.

Approximately one in there women and one in four men have experienced sexual violence, according to CSULB’s Student Disclosures of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, or Harassment.

The site also estimates that one in three women and one in three men have experienced intimate partner violence.

Even when students who report experiencing sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or stalking describe their experiences using terms like “miscommunication,” “bad sex,” or “unhealthy relationship,” the psychological effects of the trauma are still evident. This was in reference to The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted by Sharon G. Smith in 2018.

BY SAMANTHA CORTES Staff Writer

Online dating apps have become one of the most popular ways to make romantic connections, despite the high safety risks that it poses for its users.

About 38% of dating app users have been harassed and over half of the users believe they have come across a scammer on an app, according to Pew Research.

Dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and Bumble allow users to swipe through seemingly endless profiles. Out of the 46% of Americans who have used a dating app or site, about half have used Tinder.

Although online dating allows users to have hundreds of options at their fingertips, harassment is still rampant on these platforms, especially for women and LGBTQ+ people.

Fifty-six percent of women under 50 who have used dating apps or sites have received unwanted sexually explicit messages from people, according to Pew Research.

Senior English education major Carina Hayes previously used Hinge and Tinder, where she occasionally received inappropriate messages from her matches.

“Men would message some things that were overtly sexual,” said Hayes. “There would be an occasional message that was gross and terrible, but nothing traumatically bad.”

Junior information systems major Ryan Maniego said he frequently receives graphic photos and messages that fetishize his race on dating apps.

“It’s generally really creepy messag-

Toxic relationships can turn violent quickly even if it is only mental or physical.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Located in Brotman Hall Suite 226 (562) 985-4001

Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.