Online dating ads offering chance to meet 'lonely' Ukrainian women banned by watchdog

13 July 2022, 05:54

The adverts, which appeared in May, have been banned by the advertising watchdog.
The adverts, which appeared in May, have been banned by the advertising watchdog. Picture: Alamy

By Sophie Barnett

Online dating adverts offering the chance to meet "lonely" Ukrainian women have been banned by the watchdog for causing serious offence amid Russia's invasion.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The adverts, seen in May as the UK Government launched its 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, "highlight vulnerability and connect it to sexual appeal", the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said.

The three adverts for SofiaDate appeared in May, with the first featuring on the Dorset Echo's website.

The ad featured an image of a woman on a balcony, with the words: "Ukranian [sic] Women. Meet Thousands of Lonely Ukrainian Women. Forget About Loneliness. Let Yourself be Happy."

The second and third ads, both seen on Scottish newspaper The National's website, featured images of women and said: "Ukranian [sic] Women" and "Connecting Singles Across the World to Their Ideal Partner ... "

Three complaints lodged with the ASA said the ads were inappropriate and offensive in the context of the war in Ukraine.

Astrasoft Projects, trading as SofiaDate, said it had removed the ads.

Read more: Sunak vows to run economy like Thatcher as Tory leadership down to eight candidates

Read more: Twitter sues Elon Musk for pulling out of deal and accuses him of 'trashing' the company

Caller in 'horrible limbo' waiting on Homes for Ukraine application

The National and Newsquest Media Group, trading as Dorset Echo, said the ads were "ostensibly conventional dating ads, although potentially clumsily sexist in their portrayal of women from a male perspective".

They argued the ads did not refer to the war in Ukraine, were not partisan, and were also not unsympathetic towards Ukrainian women or the Ukrainian people in general.

However, they said that on reflection they could be inconsistent with their policy of refusing ads for prostitution and trafficking, and confirmed they had since been removed.

Upholding the complaints, the ASA said the women depicted in the ads were shown in a way that was, at least partly, designed to titillate readers, with the models dressed in low-cut and body-hugging clothing.

The watchdog said: "We considered the ads' focus on Ukrainian women dressed in the aforementioned manner, as well references to their loneliness, had the effect of highlighting their vulnerability and connecting it to their sexual appeal.

"For that reason, we concluded the ads were likely to cause serious offence."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Kamala Harris went door-knocking in Pennsylvania on the night before the election

Kamala Harris goes door-knocking in Pennsylvania in final bid to win votes on eve of US election

Nearly 600 police officers sacked in a year amid as shocking figures reveal extent of misconduct crackdown

Nearly 600 police officers sacked in a year as shocking figures reveal extent of misconduct crackdown

Hundreds of people died in the devastating flooding in Spain

British man who survived Valencia floods describes hearing his neighbours’ horrifying final screams before they died

Amy Dowden said she was ‘heartbroken' as she left this year's Strictly Come Dancing

Amy Dowden says her ‘heart is breaking’ after she confirmed she will not return to Strictly

Anthony Scaramucci said the row between Trump and Labour would blow over

'Anglophile' Trump's row with Starmer will have 'no impact' on wider relations with UK, Anthony Scaramucci says

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the US'

Exclusive
Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's "remarkable" foreign policy achievements

Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's 'near-death' experience

Live
US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls as election day arrives

US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls in the final race for the White House

Proud Boys claim they will go to voting places as Trump repeats election fraud lies.

Proud Boys making plans to mobilise as Trump repeats election fraud lies

File photo of a real NHS dentist

Desperate Brits fall for scam 'fake NHS dentists' amid years-long waits for appointments

The Kremlin is suspected of plotting the attack

'Parcel bombs' that blew up in warehouse were 'rehearsal' for Russian explosion attack on flight to US

Keir Starmer is not set to ban smoking in pub gardens, contrary to earlier reports

Cigarettes will not be banned in pub gardens under new Labour plan create 'smoke-free generation'

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Reading, Pennsylvania

Trump threatens Mexico with 100% tariffs unless it cracks down on border crossings

Bridget Phillipson told Tonight with Andrew Marr that the fee hike was necessary to secure the future of universities.

‘Universities must reform’ says education secretary after first hike in tuition fees in 8 years

Two more cases of a new strain of mpox have been detected in the UK, officials say

Two more cases of new mpox strain detected in UK

Anya Taylor-Joy and her musician husband were the victims of a terrifying robbery

Anya Taylor-Joy and musician husband victims of burglary at London mansion