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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Profile of online predator detailed

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 10/20/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

A new study details the tactics of cyber-stalkers, such as the one who hounded Amanda Todd for years before the B.C. girl committed suicide this month.

The preliminary findings -- released in Winnipeg on Friday by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection -- were made public on the same day vigils were held around the world in memory of Todd, who poured out her heart in a YouTube video a month before her death.

In her nine-minute black-and-white video, Todd says not a single word. Instead, she holds up handwritten flashcards to describe her experience.

"The research shows that suspects use persistence, threats and try to normalize sexual behaviour by sharing sexually explicit images and information as well as behaving in sexually inappropriate ways," said Lianna McDonald, the centre's executive director.

Officials, including Winnipeg Conservative MP Joyce Bateman, expressed condolences to Todd's family in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Laureen Harper, the wife of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, attended the news conference but made no statement. Bateman expressed condolences to Todd's family on behalf of Laureen Harper.

"We care about this for the same reason. We are both mothers," Bateman said.

McDonald echoed their sentiment: "To Amanda Todd's family, I'd like to express on behalf of our agency, our deepest sympathies. We are so sorry you lost your daughter," she said.

Todd was lured to an online chatroom and flattered until she agreed to bare her breasts before being threatened with exposure to her friends and family. Todd hanged herself on Oct. 10.

Bateman said the study's findings prove what Todd endured is all too common in Canada.

"I'm so proud of the work you do," Bateman told centre staff during the press conference.

McDonald said there is a reason for the intense backlash against online predators since Todd's suicide.

"Each and every one of us recognized someone we know in her story and we can't bear it," she said.

She said parents need to take a tough stand to protect their children from online predators.

"We are all one click of a mouse away from it being our child."

The centre is working on a lesson plan about online sex predators for Grade 7 classes.

The lesson focuses on early warning signs children can use to spot an online chat pal who could be a sexual predator.

Roz Prober, a children's advocate for Beyond Borders, said it's time to think about licensing users on the Internet to protect children, in much the same way drivers are licensed for the road.

"Beyond Borders is saying enough is enough. What is an innovative way to take away this anonymity? One way is to say you're not going on the Internet unless we know who you are," she said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection released preliminary profiles of a typical cyber-stalking offender and victim:

85.9 per cent of victims were girls.

The mean age of victims was 13 years old.

The mean age of offenders was 25.

24 per cent of victims were threatened by the suspect, most often with online distribution of existing images of the victim.

93.4 per cent of the time suspects made specific requests for images or they asked for images that had been uploaded previously.

30 per cent of victims supplied offenders with images.

Offenders lured victims in with instant messaging 38.6 per cent of the time.

The study was based on 264 reports from 2007 to 2011 made to cybertip.ca, Canada's tip line for reporting online sexual exploitation of children. The tip line forwards suspected crimes to police and child protection agencies.

What to know more? As part of its 10th anniversary media awards Nov. 19 at the Fort Garry Hotel, Beyond Borders is holding a symposium for parents that features a survivor of online luring. beyondborders.org/wp/media-awards/symposium/

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 20, 2012 A9

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