A man was acquitted in Antwerp’s criminal court on Monday for the alleged rape of a woman he met through the dating app, Tinder.
The incident dates back to the evening of 9 November 2018. The man had used another individual’s photographs on his profile, leading the woman to believe she was conversing with a muscular, bearded man from southern Europe.
When the man and woman subsequently met at the man’s shop in Antwerp, the woman was instructed through prior messaging to lock the front door and blindfold herself.
After having sexual intercourse, she removed her blindfold to find a man who did not match the Tinder profile’s photographs. The woman, feeling deceived, accused him of rape.
The prosecutors also argued that the man had used a ruse, thereby preventing the woman from giving valid consent. They sought a two-year prison sentence.
The defence argued that no deceit was used. The man had merely portrayed himself more attractively than reality. His lawyer further argued that consent cannot be rescinded retroactively and thus asked for acquittal. The court concurred there was no deception involved and acquitted the man.
