Bait and Switch, Dating App Danger
Bait and Switch, Dating App Danger
Topic
Dating App
Overview
Avery is a junior high school student who begins using a dating app out of curiosity and a desire to add excitement to her everyday life. At first, she believes it is harmless and something she can control, but she soon becomes emotionally attached to someone who appears to understand and care for her. As Avery becomes more involved in the relationship, she begins to distance herself from her family, school, and support system.
When Avery finally meets him in person, she discovers he is not the person from his profile. Although he claims to love her and promises her a better life, why did he hide who he really is? Is this love real, or is Avery being manipulated?
Purpose
To raise awareness about online grooming and how individuals may use fake identities, emotional manipulation, and false promises to build trust and exploit youth.
Copyright and License
Dating Apps: Bait & Switch — Human and Cat Versions
Written by: Byeol Park; Dominique Roe-Sepowitz Illustrations by: James Lopez
Copyright © 2026 Sex Trafficking Intervention Research Office (STIR). All rights reserved, except as expressly granted under the license below.
The Human and Cat Versions of Dating Apps: Bait & Switch are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
You may share and redistribute the Human or Cat Version in its original, unmodified form for noncommercial purposes, provided that you:
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Copyright holder: Sex Trafficking Intervention Research Office (STIR)
License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
License information: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International
For educational, teaching, or other authorized uses, please contact STIR to request permission.