Role of Technology in Combating Crime Against Woman and Children
Presented by Detective Constable Janelle BlackadarChild Exploitation SectionToronto Police ServiceCanada
Victim Reporting of Abuse
Domestic assault in Canada used to rely on the victim to choose to press charges for sexual or physical abuse
This led to problems of victims that were in fear of their abusers refusing to come forward, and then facing further abusive conditions
The laws were changed to mandate that when police observe or believe there are signs of abuse that they shall arrest and charge
This takes away the responsibility of the victim to have to prosecute the offender
Victim Reports
As a general policy, Police are required to investigate allegations of assault and sexual abuse
Only after a full investigation would the allegations be contested is if evidence came to light that the allegations were not true
Police will investigate the allegations from a victim as a priority
Dedicated Units for Abuse
Toronto Police Service have dedicated units to investigate Domestic Assault (physical or sexual) as well as Child Abuse (Physical or sexual)
Each unit has dedicated investigators and interviewers with experience in these investigations
Protocols are in place to assist the victims
Victim services for counseling and court preparation
Children’s Aid Society and government programs for investigation, counseling and court preparation
Investigations of sexual abuse of women
Police are trained to conduct these investigations to accommodate the victim, protect the victim and gather the evidence
Special examination rooms are set up in specific hospitals to allow experienced doctors and nurses to gather evidence of sexual abuse
This assists in the proper gathering of evidence as well as preventing further trauma and harm to the victim
Investigations of Child Abuse
Police have protocols when investigating allegations of child abuse
Only if necessary are the children brought into a police station for investigation
Special child friendly facilities are used to interview children
Children’s Aid societies can be used to investigate the living conditions of the children and determine if they need to be removed for their safety
Programs are designed specifically to counsel children about their abuse, as well as prepare them for court
Designated hospitals are used to conduct physical examinations
Reactive Investigations
The Toronto Police Youth Bureau’s and Criminal Investigation Bureau’s all investigate allegations of crime that have already happened
Proactive Investigations
Allow police to try to prevent crime or intercede prior to a victim being abused
Cybertips, crime stoppers, victim reports
Child Exploitation Section
Mandate: Specialized Officers will investigate:
Distribution of child Pornography over the Internet
Offences against sexual abuse of children over the Internet
What does it take?Internet access not registered to the Police
Separate server to retain the digital data not accessible to officers that are not in our unit
Large capacity of storage space
Dedicated undercover computers
Special software to capture evidence
Trained computer forensic examiners
Basic Training Courses
Digital Technology – How computers work and store digital data (1 week)
Using the Internet as an Investigative Tool – websites, search engines and other open source tools that assist in gathering evidence (1 week)
Canadian Internet Child Exploitation Course – how to conduct basic Internet investigations, tracking subscribers, identifying Child Pornography (2 weeks)
Sexual assault and child Abuse Course (2 weeks)
Advanced Courses
Advanced Internet Child Exploitation Course – learn to conduct undercover investigations posing as a child victim as well as a peer offender (2 weeks)
Peer to Peer Investigations – learning databases and software to conduct investigations (1 week)
Specialty undercover courses as technology requires
Distribution of Child Pornography
Images of child sexual abuse are traded, sent, distributed over the Internet through numerous ways
Websites
Peer to Peer (P2P) Networks
Social Networking Sites
Chat Rooms
“Sexting”
Definition of Child Pornography
163.1 (1) In this section, “child pornography” means(a) a photographic, film, video or other visual representation, whether or not it was made by electronic or mechanical means,
(i) that shows a person who is or is depicted as being under the age of eighteen years and is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity, or(ii) the dominant characteristic of which is the depiction, for a sexual purpose, of a sexual organ or the anal region of a person under the age of eighteen years;
(b) any written material, visual representation or audio recording that advocates or counsels sexual activity with a person under the age of eighteen years that would be an offence under this Act;(c) any written material whose dominant characteristic is the description, for a sexual purpose, of sexual activity with a person under the age of eighteen years that would be an offence under this Act; or(d) any audio recording that has as its dominant characteristic the description, presentation or representation, for a sexual purpose, of sexual activity with a person under the age of eighteen years that would be an offence under this Act.
Offences Against Children over the Internet
Person communicates using the Internet to:
Person under 18: Make Child Pornography, Sexual InterferencePerson under 16: Invitation to Sexual Touching, Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference, Exposure
Person under 14: leave their home
These investigations typically occur:
Social networking sites available to children
Chat rooms
Classified ads
Cell phone
Something that started off subtle…
Peer trading
Peer Chat offenders pose a risk
Identifying offenders who engage in chat about the sexual exploitation of children
Gather as much evidence as needed to be able to get a search warrant
Admissions of an offence or desire to commit and offence
Admissions of possessing or accessing Child Pornography
Sexualized comments about children and non Child Pornography images
Law Enforcement Software and Databases
Numerous Law Enforcement programs and databases have been created to conduct investigations over the Internet
These programs are always changing and being developed to keep up with changes on the Internet
Programs can track usernames, IP addresses, Guids, and files of Child Pornography
Proactive Peer to Peer (P2P Investigations
Numerous P2P networks exist to allow users on the network to share files with each other.
Many networks and many users share images and videos of Child Pornography
The investigation of persons trading Child Pornography Images can allow Police to identify offenders who are sexually interested in children, and offenders sexually abusing children.
Example file list
Online Chat Investigations
Identified Website where offenders discuss the sexual abuse of children
Identified Chat Rooms where offenders discuss the sexual abuse of children and can trade child abuse images
Law Enforcement software tracks these offenders by user name and IP address
Example of some chat rooms
#0!!!!!!!!!kids'r'us
#0!!!!!momdaughtersex
#0!!!!!!!childslavesex
#0!!!!!!ChildRapeTortureBrutality
#0!!!!!!!!!!younggirlsex
#0!!!!!!!LTLGIRLSEXCHAT
#0!!!!!!!dad&daughtersex
#0!!!!!!!!!!pedomoms
#baby&toddlerlove
Example of offenders in Canada
Example P2P India
Small Cluster of Offenders in Delhi
Large Cluster of offenders Delhi
Example chat offenders India
Basic Process of an Online Investigation
Identify an offender and gather digital evidence:
Download Child Pornography files
Determine how many files the offender has
Chat with offender to gather evidence and determine their threat risk
Identify subscriber of the IP address
Obtain a search warrant and gather the evidence, arrest and charge the offender once identified
Interview the offender
Follow up investigationReview the evidence and categorize the images and videos for Child Pornography
Identify and victims of Child Pornography or sexual abuse
Prepare disclosure of evidence for trial
Testify in court if there is a trial
Thank you
Questions?