Never Isolate Yourself With a Phone-Only Contact on a First Meeting

Meeting someone for the first time in person who you have only spoken with by phone or online carries a risk that existing familiarity on the call does not remove. In June 2026, a 19-year-old woman was at Maracas Bay at 2:55 a.m. with a group of friends when she was introduced to a man she knew only through previous telephone conversations — she had never met him in person before. Although her friends were present at the same location, she separated from them and sat alone with him on chairs on the beach. She was sexually assaulted during that time. The presence of friends at the same venue does not protect you once you are no longer in sight of them; a phone-only contact who has not been vetted in person is an unknown quantity regardless of how well the conversations have gone.

Steps to follow:

• On a first in-person meeting with someone you have only communicated with online or by phone, ensure at least one of your friends is in visual contact with you throughout — not just present at the venue.
• Avoid sitting or moving away from your group with a phone-only contact at a first meeting, particularly in outdoor, unlit, or isolated parts of a venue.
• Choose meeting locations and times that give you natural protection: daylight hours, indoors or well-lit, with other people clearly present nearby.
• If you feel uncomfortable at any point, return to your friends immediately without explaining yourself — you owe no justification for prioritising your safety.
• Tell a trusted person the full name, phone number, and a photo of the person you are meeting before going; share your location and agree on a check-in time.
• If an incident occurs, report it to the police immediately and preserve all communication records — screenshots of calls, messages, and social profiles are critical evidence.