Hookup safety: the short version
Casual sex with strangers is fine. Doing it carelessly isn't. Four habits cover most of the risk.
1. Verify before you travel
A one-minute video call proves she's real and is who her photos say. Anyone who refuses but wants you to come over right now is either fake or setting you up. Prefer verified profiles where the app offers them (Feeld, Pure).
2. Meet smart
- First meeting somewhere public, even if it's a ten-minute drink before going to someone's place.
- Tell a friend where you'll be and when you'll check in.
- Have your own way home, and keep your phone charged.
3. Make consent obvious
Agree what you're both up for before clothes come off, check in during, and stop the moment someone hesitates. On Feeld and FetLife, stated limits are the rules of the game: respecting them is how you get a second invitation.
4. Get tested, regularly
Use condoms, and get tested for STIs on a regular schedule if you have new or multiple partners. Many infections have no symptoms. The CDC explains which tests to ask for and where to find free or low-cost testing near you.
If it goes wrong
Leave, report the profile, and call 911 if you're in danger. RAINN's hotline (800-656-4673) helps anyone affected by sexual violence. If someone threatens to share your photos, see the FTC's guidance and don't pay.