Match Group Apps Push for Senate to Pass Violence Against Women Act

Dating apps like Tinder, Plenty of Fish and others under the Match Group umbrella are pushing users to call their Senators to pass the Violence Against Women Act. The Act lapsed in 2019 and has not been reauthorized since.

While the bill has already passed the House with a Democratic majority plus 29 Republicans joining to pass it, so far it has languished in the Senate. Match Group decided to take matters into their own hands and push for passage of the bill to protect users of their apps, especially as the company continues to put more safety measures in place to protect users against harassment and violence.

According to The Hill, the bill would provide funding to state and local governments to address domestic abuse, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking which has become even more of a problem with the increased use of dating apps. It would also narrow a loophole to prevent partners and boyfriends convicted of domestic violence or abuse from buying or owning guns. (Currently only spouses and former spouses are prevented from buying a gun if convicted.) A number of Republicans have opposed the bill because they see it as an infringement on gun rights. 

Match Group decided to advocate for the bill by encouraging customers to join their efforts, according to The Hill. The company added an email prompt to some of its apps like Tinder and Match, so when users log in, with “one click” they can send a pre-written email to their Senators that says the passing of the bill is necessary for survivors of violence to obtain resources to aid in their recovery. 

According to The Hill, the email states: “Please support efforts to reauthorize this law immediately. Lawmakers across the political spectrum must come together and ensure we combat this major public health problem, by ensuring we have the resources we need to protect survivors and assist their recovery. This issue cannot wait, because every day this law has the potential to impact someone’s mother, daughter, friend or coworker.”

Match Group CEO Shar Dubey wrote an op-ed in October that called for the Act to be reauthorized. She wrote: "All of us — companies, communities, and yes, lawmakers—need to do more. Violence against women is a major public health problem and violation of human rights that needs to be acknowledged and must be urgently addressed if we truly want our daughters to grow up in a more equitable society.”

To date, there is no scheduled time for a vote in the Senate for the Violence Against Women Act.