While women aren't alone in using online forums to post about connections from dating apps, a Pew Research Center study found that young women are much more likely than their male counterparts to report having their safety threatened when online dating, whether that be receiving unwanted communications or unsolicited sexual images, or being berated. While some opt to share experiences with specific men in private online forums hoping to carve out a safe space for women online, others are going public by sharing their stories on TikTok. Some of these efforts are fueled by the political environment, including the stark new reality women face after the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Their efforts — while not without flaws and some controversy — build on a string of attempts spanning more than a decade to hold men accused of mistreating women accountable using digital tools, including social media posts, shared Google documents and an app for anonymous reviews. Earlier this year, #WestElmCaleb made clear the power of women sharing information about a bad date on TikTok. The hashtag originated after one woman posted about a 20-something employee of the retailer who'd apparently exhibited poor dating behavior, such as ghosting, which led to allegations that he had been lying to numerous women in New York City. It inspired a conversation about whether he was deserving of such attention, both on TikTok and the resulting news cycle. The phenomenon became a proof-point for some about the ways in which women can get the word out about bad dates.

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While women aren't alone in using online forums to post about connections from dating apps, a Pew Research Center study found that young women are much more likely than their male counterparts to report having their safety threatened when online dating, whether that be receiving unwanted communications or unsolicited sexual images, or being berated. While some opt to share experiences with specific men in private online forums hoping to carve out a safe space for women online, others are going public by sharing their stories on TikTok. Some of these efforts are fueled by the political environment, including the stark new reality women face after the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Their efforts — while not without flaws and some controversy — build on a string of attempts spanning more than a decade to hold men accused of mistreating women accountable using digital tools, including social media posts, shared Google documents and an app for anonymous reviews. Earlier this year, #WestElmCaleb made clear the power of women sharing information about a bad date on TikTok. The hashtag originated after one woman posted about a 20-something employee of the retailer who'd apparently exhibited poor dating behavior, such as ghosting, which led to allegations that he had been lying to numerous women in New York City. It inspired a conversation about whether he was deserving of such attention, both on TikTok and the resulting news cycle. The phenomenon became a proof-point for some about the ways in which women can get the word out about bad dates.

Enter your email to subscribe to the CNN Business Newsletter.

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