A stranger groomed a young girl from thousands of miles away. He then threatened and blackmailed her for months as she lost any control she may have thought she had.
That young girl was Amanda Todd and recently the conclusion of the international cyber bulling/sextortion case came to a close this week with a guilty verdict.
Dutch national Aydin Coban, was identified as the perpetrator and was extradited to Canada to stand trial.
He was convicted of the sexual extortion of Canadian teen Amanda Todd, who as a result, then took her own life.
Coban was convicted of extortion, two counts of possession of child pornography, child luring and criminal harassment against Todd. The 15-year-old died by suicide on Oct. 10, 2012, after posting a video on YouTube saying she had been blackmailed by an online predator.
CBC News
The jury convened for less than an hour.
This verdict is important in the investigative policing world and also offers some justice for a young girl who was manipulated, ridiculed, and ultimately cyber-assaulted.
To learn more about Amanda Todd or to see her video that has been viewed over 10 million times check out Amanda Todd Legacy Society Official Page.
The Following is from the CBC Site. Please share it and talk to your kids.
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to get help:
- Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text).
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling on the website.
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you’re worried about.
Police also suggest the following to avoid falling victim to sexual extortion:
- Never answer video calls from people you don’t know.
- If you mistakenly connect with someone you don’t know over live stream, immediately hang up.
- Always answer video calls with the camera turned off until you know the identity of the person calling.
Anyone targeted should immediately stop communicating with the suspected scammer and report it to police. Child exploitation can be reported online at www.cybertip.ca.
Police also say victims should not comply with threats and should keep records of any correspondence with the perpetrator.
Bullying comes in many forms and sometimes kids find themselves in pressure-filled situations that are so overwhelming they don’t know what to do. Keep the conversation going.
Here are some articles that may spark those conversations.
Sucked into Cyber Bullying and What to do
Bullying. What to Tell Your Kids
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