The Wandure experience is designed to foster genuine interactions and positive dating adventures for men and women alike. We want dating to be fun again, and take place in-person rather than behind a screen! That said, we also want to ensure that you feel safe and confident on your dates and throughout the dating experience.
We hope that all Wandure users are chill and fun, and do our best to ensure that they are, but we also believe that it's essential to protect yourself and know your boundaries!
Wandure has three safety features that other dating apps don’t. Here they are.
Our platform ensures that your date’s full name is revealed 24 hours before the date begins. This means that you know their first and last name, which increases accountability (and allows you to Google them in advance).
Wandure includes a mandatory “selfie” prior to the date thus guaranteeing that you are not catfished. We want to ensure that your date is exactly who you anticipate they will be - if you're expecting Joe-Shmoe to show up, we want it to be him/her.
All of our dates (aka: all dates Wandure plans for you) take place in public spaces, so that you can enjoy your match’s company while staying safe.
You know that gut feeling that something just isn’t right? Trust it. Always. It’s not rude to leave a date if you feel uncomfortable! Remove yourself from the situation that's triggering the gut feeling, it's key to privilege your safety and well-being.
If you don’t feel you can leave the situation safely, ask a stranger for help.
Be sure to tell a trusted friend or family member about your date plans (this applies to men and women alike)! Agree to phone them after the date, text them, carrier pigeon them - just somehow let them know that it went well (hopefully) and that you’re safe. If you do not contact this person, they know to sound the alarm bells! And naturally, if it all went well, they can be available to chat about your awesome date.
We plan all of our dates in a public location. Even those dates that seem as though they’d be off the beaten track, for example a hike in the Gatineaus, will be guided so that you won't be totally alone with your match. If the date goes well, and you want a second date in a private space, that's up to you! But at Wandure, we plan your first date in a public setting and encourage you to keep your dates in public settings until you're better acquainted with your match - no matter how awesome the energy may be.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. After all, that’s how to get to know someone! We plan fun activities so you don’t have to worry about that, all you have to do is go along for the ride. It's up to you to enjoy the date and bring on the charm. Enjoy the conversations that flow and trust yourself!
And in the same vein of being expressive, tell someone if they're making you feel uncomfortable. Be your own advocate - if they don't change their behaviour accordingly, they aren't the right person for you!
No means no. Really, it’s a solid, hard NO. Engaging in sexual activity is not a must, but if you do choose to get intimate, consent to that sexual activity is a must. If you and your date are jiving and sex is on the table, be sure that any and all sexual activity begins with consent. This includes on-going check-ins with your partner through verbal communication.
Providing consent and relinquishing consent at any time is permitted, just because you start to get intimate doesn't mean you have to go all the way - you don’t owe anyone a sexual experience. It's your body, and knowing your own boundaries is sexy. Remember that consent can only be provided if someone has a clear mind - the effects of drug or alcohol can affect a person’s capacity to provide genuine consent. Click here for more information on consent in Canada.
Be sure that you witness the full life-cycle of your drink: from its first pour to your last sip. Many substances that are slipped into beverages with the intention of facilitating sexual assault are odourless, colourless, and tasteless (aka: you won't smell them, see them, or taste them). Also be sure to keep your phone, purse, wallet, and anything containing personal information on you at all times.
While respect and kindness are paramount in dating, it is absolutely acceptable to politely end a date early. Time is precious and your comfort is primary. Whether you are not enjoying your match's company, or simply feel unwell, all you have to do is communicate how you're feeling. Taking the person’s feelings into account, it is your prerogative to excuse yourself from a date. While it's always prudent to give a person a chance to get to know you, and for you to get to know them BUT as we said in tip #1, you must listen to your instincts and intuition. Don’t suffer through an experience if you're not enjoying it.
If you didn't enjoy your date, or it felt unsafe, or if within the in-app chat your match made you feel uncomfortable, please report the inappropriate behaviour. If the inappropriate behaviour emerges in convo 24-hours before the planned date, we will cancel the date and look into the person with whom you were connected. You can report this behaviour with the in-app "live chat" feature and speak with a member of our team.
For more info, check out Wandure’s Security and Privacy protocols.
