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Experts offer dating safety tips after woman says she was assaulted, held hostage by man she met online

According to court documents, Zachary Mills held the victim against her will, bit her, punched her and denied her food and water for five days.

SPRING, Texas — Tens of millions of Americans use dating apps, but what happened to a young woman in Spring is a reminder to be careful before you meet someone new.

After exchanging a few messages on Bumble, the 22-year-old woman agreed to meet Zachary Mills in person. He picked her up on Christmas Eve and drove to his apartment, and that's where her nightmare began.

The victim was held hostage for five days, repeatedly sexually assaulted and beaten by 21-year-old Zachary Mills, according to Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman's Office. 

On Dec. 29, she escaped when Mills left the apartment at 8011 Augusta Pines and he was arrested the next day and charged with aggravated kidnapping.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with "severe injuries."

"Can you imagine the sheer trauma this victim is going through just because she was looking for love?" Chau Nguyen, a trauma therapist at Jem Wellness and Counseling, said.  

Online dating safety tips

Experts urge anyone who uses dating apps to be cautious and there are several ways to lower your risk of becoming a victim. 

1. First, do some digging, including checking the person's social media accounts. If it's a new account with few photos, posts or friends, it could be fake. 

"Make sure you know the individual's real name. Get some background information on who that individual is. See if you have any mutual friends in common," Precinct 4 Capt. Jonathan Zitzmann advised.

2. Schedule a video chat before meeting up in person for the first time, rainn.org advises.

3. If you agree to meet, send a screenshot of your date’s profile to a friend and let them know the details. 

"Let your friends and family know, 'I am going to the mall or drinks.' Let them know where you are going and who you are with," Zitzmann said. 

4. If you're meeting your date for the first time, do it in a public place with plenty of people around.

5. Don't get in a car with someone you don't know well. 

"Using your own car getting to know the person before you agree to go to their home," said Nguyen. 

6. Don't give out personal information, like your home or work address, until you're sure you can trust them.

7. Look for red flags, including these examples from rainn.org.

  • Asks for money
  • Claims to be from the United States but is currently living, working, or traveling abroad
  • Claims to be recently widowed with children
  • Disappears suddenly from the site and then reappears under a different name
  • Gives vague answers to specific questions
  • Overly complimentary and romantic too early in your communication
  • Pressures you to provide your phone number or talk outside the dating app or site
  • Requests your home or work address under the guise of sending flowers or gifts
  • Tells inconsistent or grandiose stories
  • Uses disjointed language and grammar, but claims to have a high level of education
  • Sends harassing or offensive messages
  • Attempts to threaten or intimidate you in any way

8. Trust your gut. "If something doesn’t feel right you can say no and go home," Nguyen said. 

For more information, check out the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's tips on avoiding online dating scams.

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Sexual assault and harassment are never acceptable and are never the victim’s fault no matter what you were wearing, drinking, or whom you were with. The National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org) is here to listen and provide resources, and is anonymous, free, and available 24/7.

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