A Seattle woman describes how a seemingly normal Hinge date spiraled into a situation that required her friends to physically intervene to keep her safe.
On Dec. 6, Violet Urffer (@ultravioletwavelengths) posted an in-depth video describing the Hinge date. “Let’s talk about one of my worst first dates I’ve ever been on,” Urffer said.
She explains that the man initially had a solid impression as dinner went well. The chemistry felt natural, and nothing about his behavior stood out as overtly concerning. “I’ve been on a lot more awkward dates for sure,” she said, noting that this one actually felt promising.
Feeling comfortable, she invited him to meet her friends afterward. She said this is something she often did because it felt like a built-in safety measure. “If my friends are there, then it’s safer, you know?” she explained.
Why Did Urffer’s Hinge Date Take a Turn For the Worse?
The first red flag appeared when he asked about her “type,” and she gave a vague answer. He then tells her that his type is “usually Asians,” but that she “clear[s] all of them.”
“I don’t clear a whole race,” she said afterward, still stunned by the comment. “Why are we comparing people by appearance?”
Things escalated rapidly at a bar later that night when Urffer was standing near one of her roommate’s friends, and the Hinge date made a hateful remark. “That guy looks like a [f-slur],” he said, according to Urffer.
When she confronted him, the situation turned volatile. He grew defensive, raised his voice, and insisted he was allowed to say it because he has gay friends. She explains that the argument drew attention, and her roommate soon realized something was very wrong. According to her roommate, he made a movement that looked like he was about to hit her. “She was genuinely very concerned,” the woman said. “She thought he was going to hurt me.”
Even after leaving the bar, he followed them outside, screaming in her face and trying to go home with her. “I do not [expletive] with being screamed at by a man,” she said. Eventually, her roommate shoved her into an Uber to get her away safely.
How Safe is Hinge?
Urffer’s account of events is not an isolated incident, and the video’s comments echo her caution around dating apps regarding safety. “The bar is in hell,” wrote one commenter.
“Seattle is so amazing in so many ways,” added another. “But the dating scene is definitely not one of them. It makes no sense it needs to be studied.”
Dating apps like Hinge market themselves as safer, more intentional alternatives to swipe-first platforms. However, stories like this underscore how limited those safeguards can be once a match moves offline. Hinge encourages users to meet in public, share plans with friends, and report abusive behavior through its in-app tools, and the app has rolled out features like date check-ins and the ability to block and report users directly from a chat or profile.
Still, critics argue these measures are reactive rather than preventative, placing the burden of safety largely on users to recognize danger in real time.
That concern isn’t unfounded. Reports and lawsuits against Match Group, Hinge’s parent company, have alleged that dating apps have failed to adequately respond to reports of harassment, hate speech, and even violent behavior, allowing some users to remain active despite multiple complaints. As this story illustrates, red flags don’t always appear in profiles or early messages. They surface in person, sometimes after alcohol is involved, and often escalate quickly.
Hinge’s safety tools can help after something goes wrong, but they can’t replace situational awareness, community support, or the instinct to leave when something feels off. Until dating apps take stronger preventative action, safety will remain something users have to build for themselves, one cautious decision at a time.
AllHipHop reached out to Urffer for comment via TikTok direct message and Hinge for comment via email. This story will be updated if either party responds.
@ultravioletwavelengths ♬ original sound – violet