The Disturbing Trend of Live Torture Streaming

Live torture streaming is a disturbing phenomenon that involves broadcasting the brutal abuse and murder of a human being over the internet. It is also known as a “red room”, a term that originates from a Japanese horror film where people pay to watch a live torture show in a red-painted room. The existence of such websites is highly controversial and debated, as some claim that they are nothing but hoaxes or scams, while others argue that they are real and pose a serious threat to human rights and dignity.

In this post, I will explore the following aspects of live torture streaming:

• The history and origin of the concept

• The alleged evidence and examples of live torture streaming

• The motivations and psychology behind the perpetrators and the viewers

• The ethical and legal implications and challenges of live torture streaming

• The possible ways to prevent and combat live torture streaming

History and Origin

The concept of live torture streaming can be traced back to the early days of the internet, when snuff films, videos that depict the actual killing of a person, were circulated online. Snuff films are often associated with the dark web, a hidden part of the internet that is inaccessible through standard browsers and requires special software and encryption to access. The dark web is notorious for hosting illegal and immoral activities, such as drug trafficking, child pornography, hacking, and murder-for-hire.

One of the earliest and most infamous examples of snuff films is the “Daisy’s Destruction” video, which was allegedly created by an Australian pedophile named Peter Scully in 2012. The video reportedly showed the torture and rape of a toddler named Daisy by Scully and his accomplices in the Philippines. The video was sold on the dark web for up to $10,000 and was described by the authorities as “the worst video ever seen”. Scully was arrested in 2015 and is currently facing multiple charges of child abuse, human trafficking, and murder.

The term “red room” was popularized by the 1999 Japanese horror film “The Red Room”, directed by Daisuke Yamanouchi. The film depicts four contestants who participate in a game show where they have to endure various forms of torture in a red-painted room. The last one to remain conscious wins a cash prize. The film was inspired by a real-life incident in 1988, where a Japanese serial killer named Tsutomu Miyazaki kidnapped and murdered four young girls and sent their body parts and letters to their families.

The film sparked a lot of interest and curiosity among the internet users, who started to search for websites that offer live torture streaming. Some websites claimed to provide such services, but they usually turned out to be fake or scams, where the viewers had to pay a large amount of money to access a video that was either pre-recorded, staged, or non-existent. However, some websites claimed to have genuine live torture streaming, where the viewers could interact with the torturers and request specific actions or methods of torture. These websites were often hosted on the dark web and required payment in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, to ensure anonymity and security.

Evidence and Examples

The evidence and examples of live torture streaming are scarce and inconclusive, as most of the websites that claim to offer such services are either hoaxes or scams. However, there have been some cases where live torture streaming was allegedly witnessed or recorded by the authorities or the media.

One of the most notorious cases is the “Chicago torture incident”, which occurred in January 2017. Four African-American individuals kidnapped and tortured a mentally disabled white man for several hours and live-streamed the ordeal on Facebook. The video showed the victim being beaten, cut, burned, and forced to drink toilet water, while the perpetrators shouted racial and political slurs. The video was viewed by thousands of people and sparked a lot of outrage and controversy. The perpetrators were arrested and charged with hate crimes, kidnapping, and aggravated battery.

Another case is the “Red Room case”, which occurred in March 2019. A Dutch hacker named Aydin Coban was convicted of blackmailing and extorting hundreds of people, mostly teenage girls, online. He used fake identities and profiles to lure his victims into sending him nude photos or videos, and then threatened to expose them to their friends and family unless they paid him money or performed sexual acts on camera. He also claimed to run a red room website, where he would torture and kill his victims live if they did not comply with his demands. He allegedly showed screenshots of his website to some of his victims, which showed a list of upcoming torture sessions and a countdown timer. He also claimed to have killed at least one of his victims, a 15-year-old girl from Canada named Amanda Todd, who committed suicide in 2012 after being harassed and bullied online. Coban was sentenced to 10 years and 8 months in prison in the Netherlands, and is awaiting extradition to Canada to face more charges.

A third case is the “Vallejo torture case”, which occurred in April 2020. A 29-year-old woman named Reyna Maldonado was arrested for torturing and killing her 4-year-old stepson, D’Shawn Schwartz, and live-streaming the abuse on Facebook. The video showed the boy being beaten, burned, choked, and forced to eat his own feces, while the woman taunted and laughed at him. The video was reported by several viewers, who alerted the police and the child welfare services. The boy was found dead in his home, with multiple injuries and signs of malnutrition. The woman was charged with murder, torture, and child abuse.

Motivations and Psychology

The motivations and psychology behind live torture streaming are complex and varied, depending on the roles and perspectives of the perpetrators and the viewers. However, some of the possible factors that may contribute to this phenomenon are:

• Sadism: Sadism is the tendency to derive pleasure from inflicting pain or suffering on others. Sadists may enjoy live torture streaming as a way of expressing their power and dominance over their victims, and satisfying their violent and sexual fantasies. Sadists may also seek validation and recognition from other sadists or viewers, who may share their interests and preferences.

• Curiosity: Curiosity is the desire to learn or know something new or unknown. Curious people may be attracted to live torture streaming as a way of exploring the dark and taboo aspects of human nature, and witnessing something that is rare and shocking. Curious people may also seek thrill and excitement from watching live torture streaming, as they may experience a rush of adrenaline and dopamine from the exposure to danger and violence.

• Desensitization: Desensitization is the process of becoming less sensitive or responsive to a stimulus or emotion. Desensitized people may be drawn to live torture streaming as a way of coping with their boredom or numbness, and stimulating their senses and emotions. Desensitized people may also seek novelty and variety from live torture streaming, as they may have become accustomed or immune to the conventional forms of entertainment or violence.

• Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Empathetic people may watch live torture streaming as a way of expressing their compassion and sympathy for the victims, and hoping for their rescue or survival. Empathetic people may also seek justice and accountability from live torture streaming, as they may want to expose and punish the perpetrators and the viewers for their crimes and cruelty.

Ethical and Legal Implications and Challenges

Live torture streaming poses a number of ethical and legal implications and challenges, as it involves the violation of human rights and dignity, and the exploitation of technology and anonymity. Some of the issues and questions that arise from this phenomenon are:

• How to define and classify live torture streaming? Is it a form of entertainment, art, or crime? Is it a snuff film, a torture porn, or a red room? How to distinguish between real and fake live torture streaming?

• How to detect and prevent live torture streaming? How to monitor and regulate the dark web and the cryptocurrencies? How to identify and track the perpetrators and the viewers? How to rescue and protect the victims?

• How to prosecute and punish live torture streaming? How to apply and enforce the existing laws and regulations? How to deal with the jurisdiction and extradition issues? How to determine the culpability and responsibility of the perpetrators and the viewers?

• How to educate and raise awareness about live torture streaming? How to inform and warn the public and the potential victims? How to address and reduce the demand and supply of live torture streaming? How to promote and foster the values and norms of human rights and dignity?

Possible Ways to Prevent and Combat Live Torture Streaming

Live torture streaming is a disturbing and complex phenomenon that requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach to prevent and combat it. Some of the possible ways to do so are:

• Developing and implementing more effective and efficient technologies and tools to detect and block live torture streaming websites and transactions, and to trace and locate the perpetrators and the viewers.

• Strengthening and harmonizing the legal and regulatory frameworks and mechanisms to criminalize and penalize live torture streaming, and to facilitate the cooperation and collaboration among the law enforcement and the judicial authorities across different countries and regions.

• Increasing and enhancing the education and awareness programs and campaigns to inform and warn the public and the potential victims about the dangers and consequences of live torture streaming, and to encourage and empower them to report and resist any suspicious or abusive online activities or interactions.

• Providing and improving the psychological and social support and services to the victims and the survivors of live torture streaming, and to the perpetrators and the viewers who may suffer from mental health issues or disorders, such as trauma, addiction, or depression.

• Fostering and cultivating a culture and a community of respect and empathy for human rights and dignity, and of condemnation and rejection of violence and cruelty, both online and offline.

Conclusion

Live torture streaming is a disturbing trend that involves the live broadcast of the brutal abuse and murder of a human being