Published on 12, July, 2020
I thought I should share with you my experience using the Hiki app. I joined a day ago. Immediately I was harassed by a male called David even though I said I wanted to connect with women. Said male would prove difficult later. I tried to be polite. I posted images of my art. Which got some interactions. The first of which elicited a long thread I was not aware of instigated by an anti feminist rant by someone named Tom spewing anti feminist hate. Today I encountered a strange account called ‘Uni’ that would later troll me along with afore mentioned David. I asked a David to calm down his messages to me as I am trying to deal with my daughter’s birthday who passed away, he said he didn’t realise I had a daughter that died and proceeded to troll me along with ‘Uni’ about the death of my daughter. I am now left feeling throughly traumatised and somewhat suicidal. I spoke with Hiki for a lengthy period and they paused my account and stopped replying to me. I have never been treated like this in my life. This is the worst timing ever. I’m planning grave flowers this weekend for my beautiful Theodora.
I hadn't heard of this app, but after checking their website, it looks like you can block and report people. So seems like you should just do that?
I reported this to the police and deleted the app. I blocked people but the conversations carry on around you. I was ganged up on by a group of men who used inflammatory Chinese whispers. The members who weren't yet blocked lied to the blocked members, tagging me and telling them I said things I had not. I've never felt so put at risk and at such a terrible time. To put things into perspective -
This was an act of male aggression towards a bereaved autistic woman. I was attacked by a male mob based on gender, disability, and child loss. Without proper protection in place for women and vulnerable people, this app is structured for abuse; especially when these are men that don't follow social rules and cues and are prone to aggressive outbursts. Men are diagnosed 3/1 over women; I am shocked I was not able to protect myself from these types of individuals, and later ignored by the app. I already suffer from PTSD for abuse I received as a child and the death of my daughter - I found myself in an environment that was unsafe and caused further harm to my mental wellbeing. I could not filter out the men I was continually approached by when I made clear I wanted female friendship. It felt dangerous from the start, but I am socially anxious anyway so I thought I was being paranoid - as it turns out not only was I correct about the danger I was in based on my gender and trauma vulnerabilities, my worst fears happened and I was targeted.
Sorry you had this experience, never heard of the app, and I won't look any further into it. I thank you for telling us about it so we are warned. Certainly doesn't seem an experience I would like myself.