3 October
2006 Chatmag News.
In online communities,
and in particular online role playing and lifestyle groups, users have
developed a private "code of honor" in handling both on and offline relationships.
For the most part, the code of honor guides the group within their boundaries,
depending on the scope of the group.
And in other groups,
in particular lifestyle groups such as Gorean, BDSM, or others, they tend
to take care of their own, rather than involving outsiders or the legal
system.
As long as the
groups remain focused on their inner communities, and within their own
set bounds, the system works well. At other times, and in particular when
a group member is at risk to their health and welfare, the system of taking
care of their own must be replaced by the necessity of going to authorities,
if a group member is at physical or emotional risk.
In 2000, John
E. Robinson, Sr. met a woman at a motel in Kansas City, Mo. Robinson had
met the woman on a BDSM related online discussion community, and met with
her for purposes of a BDSM related relationship. Some time after
the meeting, she pressed charges for abuse of her body, assault on her
psyche, and theft of her sex toys.
This simple theft
charge led to the eventual arrest and conviction of Robinson, dubbed the
Internet's First Serial Killer. Robinson had met with women both on discussion
forums and IRC chat channels, and was convicted of killing eight victims.
Chatmag has always
maintained that meeting anyone in person from any Internet site, whether
it is an online dating site, chat channel or forum, should be done with
the utmost of care and concern for safety.
After the Robinson
case, and several others not as well known, online groups have stepped
up their efforts to maintain a safe on and offline environment for their
members. If a member claims to be in any danger, they turn to the online
group rescuers, rather than law enforcement.
The online rescuers
will get a cry of help from a member, and then determine the location of
the person in trouble. In most cases, the appearance of the rescuers to
a home causes no lasting harm to any of the parties involved.
The cry for help
may be legitimate, or in some cases, nothing more than an easily handled
domestic disturbance. There may be a real victim, or someone that is "crying
wolf", thinking in doing so will further punish the other party in an argument.
The rescuers, in their zehl, run the risk of escalating a minor problem
that may have been handled by a few words from a police officer.
However, not being
trained law enforcement, there are dangers in online rescuers appearing
at a person's home. The rescuers do not know what they are walking into.
In the case of a person claiming to being held against their will, the
rescuers may find themselves facing down the barrel of a weapon. What was
meant to be a well meaning rescue could turn out to be a homicide.
Law enforcement
are trained in how to safely enter a residence after receiving a call of
a domestic disturbance or abduction, online rescuers are not. Law enforcement
can contain the perimeter of a residence, and unless the rescuers come
in force they would not have the manpower needed, potentially allowing
an alleged abductor to escape.
Once entering
a residence, online rescuers also may inadvertently contaminate any possible
evidence that would be useful in a court case. Rescuing, removing a person
from a residence in effect taints much of the evidence needed for a successful
prosecution. Even a simple act as taking a victims coat or purse may mean
an alleged predator may go free.
If there are real
predators out there, then they must be stopped, simply rescuing someone
does not stop a predator and they will do it again and again, and like
in the Robinson case, people will be hurt or killed, where lives could
of been saved.
When online groups
police their members, and stay within the confines of their group, their
own system of checks and balances works well. In the case of a group member
at real risk, the task of rescuing should be left to competent law enforcement.
--Chatmag News--
External Links:
Chatmag's
Safety Section.
CourtTV.
John Robinson, The Internet's First Serial Killer.
