A woman in the US has created the “Ex Boyfriend List” – a database for women to share their bad experiences with the men they’ve dated. She calls the site a “Tripadvisor for exes.”
Tracy Tegan is the founder of the list which includes stories about men who have apparently cheated on their partners, been verbally or physically abusive, or just treated them disrespectfully.
“This place is for all you women out there who were happily in love with a guy who didn’t put enough and exploited you in ways you didn’t realise you could ever be used for,” Tegan said.
“Search him up, and if there’s nothing, then you’re one of the lucky ones. But if you do end up finding anything related to him, you know your doubts were correct.”
Women on the website are invited to share their experiences in detail, the state he lives in and their ex boyfriend’s name. Personal information however, should not be shared. This includes the man’s private phone number, address, workplace and information about his family. Some women think this is idea is genius, but others have pointed out the idea could get very dark, very quickly.
“Who’s gonna set up the UK one then?” one Facebook user asked. “I hugely regret that I didn’t warn the next victim of mine, but I had to make myself safe.”
Another woman said: “Most of my exes were lovely people, but one was violent and manipulative. I’d have loved to have been able to warn his future partners, but he’s the type who’d sue (even though he literally pleaded guilty to being violent). Lots could go wrong with such a website.”
There are plenty of others on social media who do not think this is a good idea, though.
One user is worried this website could be used as a way of getting revenge on an ex partner. “The ability to tell the truth is such a scarce commodity in society today,” she said. “What stops people using the platform as a means of revenge, to polarise female opinion simply because they feel hard done by when a relationship comes to an end?”
Another added: “Good If it works for you directly/indirectly, but hope it’s made open enough to the other parties in the case of character assassination, for the purpose of suing and counter-suing accordingly.”
What do you think?