February 12, 2014 | Online

Beware of minors on your gay hook-up apps

Men in the UK are being told to be careful about who they meet through hook-up apps like Grindr.

The National Crime Agency is concerned about the number of underage people using these apps. Because of the age of consent is 16, having relations with anyone younger than that is illegal.

Most apps require men to be at least 18 to sign up. Of course, when you sign up you do so on the honor system and there is no verification of your actual birth date.

One young man, Aaron, said he started using Grindr when he was 13. "I was struggling with my sexuality so having something on my phone I could easily download was one way of meeting people who were gay that I could relate to," he said.

He met a 24-year-old who, he said, quickly took advantage of him. "He knew I was obviously emotionally vulnerable. We used to go out for meals, go to the cinema, play computer games and stuff like that. Looking back he was grooming me."

Aaron's 'friend' has since been prosecuted for having sexual relations with a minor and has been put on the sex offenders' register.

"The law is very clear: regardless of how the conversation is started, regardless of who thinks they're in the driving seat the adult is always the one who has the responsibility," explained Jonathan Baggaley, head of education at NCA. "A child should never be blamed."

The same consideration, of course, pertains in North America as well. Just ask porn star Mike Dozer.