Manhunt.com has put an alert on its site after an incident involving an online hook-up.
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By KEVIN SPENCE
Friday, September 19, 2003
“Get on. Get off.” That’s the slogan for one of the most popular
hook-up sites on the Internet for gay men. On one weekday afternoon last week,
2,359 men were logged on at one time.
The vast majority of meetings resulting from such online cruising don’t
result in anything more harmful than a bruised ego. But for one man who sought
sex through Manhunt.net on Sept. 2, a hook-up nearly cost him his life.
A 37-year-old man had met another man “in his 40s” online, according
to the New York Post. They arranged to meet in Manhattan, police said.
While they were having sex, the older man pulled out a knife and lacerated
the other man’s penis, according to police. The victim was taken to St.
Vincent’s Hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
According to Basil Lucas, coordinator of bias crimes at New York City’s
Anti-Violence Project, his experience is not unique. “We definitely see
an increase in crimes being committed via the Internet,” Lucas said.
The most recent such victim is unusual in that he reported it to the police;
most such cases aren’t reported, according to Lucas and others. Lucas
said that more than 10 percent of all bias crime calls are what he terms “pick-up
crimes,” or those that are derived from meeting with the sole intention
of having sex. “Maybe 50 to 75 calls a year come from those who met their
attackers online,” Lucas said.
A recent New York City killing, that of Brian Boothe, is currently under investigation
as being an Internet pick-up crime. Police have confiscated the victim’s
computer to look for suspects.
On Christmas Day last year, Boothe, 35, was found stabbed to death at his
apartment in Manhattan’s Stuyvestant Town. “He is a classic example
of someone found through” the Internet, Lucas surmised. “Initially,
they thought it was a suicide.”
But police now agree with Lucas’ theory. “It has the elements
of a pick-up crime,” Lucas said. “There was no robbery and his
Christmas gifts were still there.”
Lucas and other crime watchdogs complain that it is difficult to track and
prosecute attackers because of the circuitous and hidden route of cyber connections.
In addition, said Lucas, a lot of gay men do not report such crimes because
they often feel ashamed at how the offense occurred.
“Even if something happens, and the victim reports it to the service
provider,” Lucas said, “in many cases, they respond that they cannot
help.” The assailants are often serial perpetrators, he added.
In the Manhunt.net incident, an e-mail was sent to all Manhunt users that stated, “We
heard that a Manhunt member was harmed by another Manhunt member, and we are
concerned. Please remember to take every precaution possible when meeting someone
new. We suggest having a first meeting in public and communicating clearly
and in depth. Never let anyone talk you into doing anything you do not want
to do! Should you ever feel in danger, do not hesitate to contact the police.
We care about your safety! Happy hunting and be SAFE!”
Officials with Manhunt responded to a media inquiry by indicating only that, “We
contacted the police but have not received a call back.” The service
did not respond to additional requests for information about the case.
Harold Copus, president of Investigative Solutions, a private investigative
security consulting firm based in Atlanta, is currently investigating a missing
persons case in Atlanta in which the victim met an attacker online. Although
Copus could not disclose the name of the site, he did say it was targeted to
gay sexual encounters.
After the missing individual was beaten by an unknown man whom the victim
apparently met online, the abused victim refused treatment, according to his
brother. After that, he mysteriously disappeared.
Copus assumes the man was killed. Copus’ investigation eventually ground
to a halt after attempting to trace the victim’s e-mails. “It’s
a free service,” Copus said of the victim’s Internet provider. “If
you don’t use the account for 30 days in a row, it is closed. There is
no record.”
Copus said of the victim, “He felt this was a way to meet people and
apparently so do others — and now he’s just lost. It’s a
tragedy which says to me, if you’re going to do this you need to set
parameters in a controlled environment.”
Copus suggests that users employ what he calls, “due diligence,” or
doing what is necessary to vet the individual’s credentials. He also
suggested leaving an address or phone number of a potential partner at home,
with a friend or a roommate.
New York City Police maintain a Computer Crimes Department, although they
could not provide statistics on Internet-related crime. Sherry Hunter at the
city’s Public Information Office said records are not kept unless an
arrest is made, an indictment filed or a case is headed to trial.
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