How to Handle people that are using this web site for datin purposes

The CouchSurfing Wiki, an informal workspace which anyone can edit.

This page will help you understand the best ways in which to handle those people that seem to have missed the 75 thousand references to the fact that CS is not to be used for dating.

Contents 1 The Report as Spam Button 2 Someone using the Groups 3 Someone in Person 4 Finally

The Report as Spam Button

• If you have received an email that looks like it has been sent out to more than one person in exactly the same form then when you view it through your CS inbox you will see the "report as spam" button at the bottom of the page just to the right of the "reply" button. This is a powerful little button and once clicked the member disputes and safety team will be able to swing their vast powers into action.
• After its clicked you don't have to worry about that person any more as the issue will be looked at straight away. You don't need to reply to them or to report it anywhere else.

Someone using the Groups

• If you find that someone in a group is posting messages that are inappropriate then you should copy a link to the post into a message to the contact us team. (highlight the browser address bar with the cursor and press ctrl C then on the message press ctrl v and the link will be there)
• Describe the posts and why that you think that they are inappropriate and mark the message as "problem with member" and send it off through the contact us sectionof the website.

Someone in Person

• Firstly couchsurfing encourages all members to try to work out their disputes together. The site can not take sides or be seen to be taking sides in any argued event and everyone should remember that there are at least 2 sides to everything.
• Calm and rational discussion is the preferred option and the best way to go about that is to ask "Why did you do that? I though that you meant this and it made me feel that" Instead of saying "You did that and it sucked." All cultures are different so try and take that into account.
• When it comes to the end of the discussion then it comes time to leave a reference for the person.
• A reference should be clear, calm and factual and try to take a look at both sides of the event. It should stay within the reference guidelines.
• Don't be afraid to leave a refernce in this manner as the system is only as strong as its tools and so if you don't let people know of your experiences then the system falls down.
• Also remember that a reference says as much about the person writing it as it does about the person that its about.
• Retaliatory references are not allowed and so if you think that you have been left a reference that is outside the guidelines or is retalitoy then write to the Contact us page and mark the message as problem with a member.

• Always have a back up plan. If someone makes a move while you are being hosted and you feel uncomfortable about it then know where the local hostels are so that you can go. Hostels don't turn away girls in the middle of the night with no where to stay. They might for guys but girls are fine there. If you are hosting someone that makes a move and you want them to leave then have the phone numbers of your local hostels handy so that you have somewhere to send them.

• If someone at a meet up is making unwanted advances then after thinking about it and asking them to stop then consider what is mentioned above about leaving a reference.

• Also remember that your culture is different to someone elses and they just may not understand the lines that exist where you are from. If you think that is the case then a polite email or word to them explaining where the lines for you exist and that they should please have more tact to respect those lines in the future.

Finally

• The assessment of the situation is up to you.
• You have the tools to use to do something about it.
• If you see use of the site for dating then use the appropriate tools. The action is up to the members to use the facilities supplied because there are simply not enough volunteers to go searching for this behaviour. If you help police the site then it becomes better and safer for all.