Latest news with #W5
CTV News
21 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
W5: Avery Haines Investigates
Watch Infiltrating a global network of men who drug, rape and record their partners, W5: Avery Haines Investigates exposes the brazen criminals.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
The face isn't real, but her story is: Why W5 used AI on an interview with a rape survivor
'Melanie,' a Canadian woman whose life was shattered by a Facebook message on the weekend of her bridal shower, speaks with W5. Warning: This story contains graphic details and allegations of sexual assault This series is part of an ongoing W5 investigation that has infiltrated a global online network of men who are secretly drugging, raping, filming and sharing the videos of their unsuspecting wives and intimate partners. Watch W5's full documentary, Sleeping with the Enemy, Saturday at 9 p.m. on CTV. In the opening minutes of our documentary, Sleeping With the Enemy, viewers meet 'Melanie,' a Canadian woman whose life was shattered by a Facebook message on the weekend of her bridal shower. Attached was a screengrab of her unconscious body being sexually assaulted. She would soon discover that an ex-boyfriend, someone she had dated as a teenager, had drugged, raped and recorded crimes against her for years, without her knowledge. Those videos, some showing sexual torture, are being traded like currency within an online network of men who secretly rape their wives and girlfriends and then share, trade and sell videos of their abuse with other men. Our investigation reveals this isn't an isolated case, but part of a sprawling, online community where rape and degradation is normalized, organized and commodified. The scale of the abuse is staggering. But how do you tell Melanie's story and those of other survivors we interviewed, when the people most harmed fear being seen? That question led us to the groundbreaking decision to use artificial intelligence to digitally reconstruct the faces of survivors. Not to distort the truth, but to deliver it. Beyond the blur Facial expression invokes empathy and yet survivors of sexual violence are usually shown in silhouette, with their faces blurred or pixilated. Viewers are asked to feel something for people they can't fully see. Our team didn't think that was good enough for Melanie or for the others we interviewed. Using AI, we were able to create new, fictional faces, mapped to their real expressions. Their actual face is never shown, but their digitally altered faces move with their words. Viewers can see emotion. Sadness. Anger. Fear. Defiance. It brings survivors out of the shadows. This technology, often maligned in the era of deepfakes, can be used for more than deception. It can be used for truth. We are transparent with our audience: what you're seeing isn't real. But what they are saying is. How safe is it? The AI-generated faces are built by blending the real face of the survivor with a computer-created synthetic face. The final image does not retain the original features in a way that could be reverse-engineered. You cannot use AI to 'unmask' the survivor, because the real face simply isn't there anymore. We have been completely transparent about our use of the technology, burning the words 'digitally altered face' onto the screen every time their faces appear. We also flagged, in voice-over, that their faces had been digitally altered. AI altered faces of W5 interviewees for 'Sleeping with the Enemy' Clockwise from top left: the AI-altered faces of people W5 spoke with for this investigation include 'Catherine' (stepsister of a convicted rapist from New Brunswick); 'Julie' (the ex-girlfriend of the convicted rapist from New Brunswick); 'Steve' (the husband of 'Melanie' and a medical doctor); and 'Rachel' (the ex-wife of Hamilton Ont. suspect Bryan Hayward) Groundbreaking decision The decision wasn't made lightly. We chose not to use the digitally altered faces in shorter news pieces that were broadcast on CTV National News over the last two weeks. But we believe it was the right technology outside of the news division. This has rarely, if ever, been done before in Canada. There are legitimate concerns in an age where trust in the media is waning. But in the end, the survivors gave us our answer. They feel seen, but not exposed. Their faces aren't real. But their stories are. The trauma is. The network is. And what was taken from these women — their control, their memory, their consent — is finally being reclaimed. More on this story:
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
The face isn't real, but her story is: Why W5 used AI on an interview with a rape survivor
'Melanie,' a Canadian woman whose life was shattered by a Facebook message on the weekend of her bridal shower, speaks with W5. Warning: This story contains graphic details and allegations of sexual assault This series is part of an ongoing W5 investigation that has infiltrated a global online network of men who are secretly drugging, raping, filming and sharing the videos of their unsuspecting wives and intimate partners. Watch W5's full documentary, Sleeping with the Enemy, Saturday at 9 p.m. on CTV. In the opening minutes of our documentary, Sleeping With the Enemy, viewers meet 'Melanie,' a Canadian woman whose life was shattered by a Facebook message on the weekend of her bridal shower. Attached was a screengrab of her unconscious body being sexually assaulted. She would soon discover that an ex-boyfriend, someone she had dated as a teenager, had drugged, raped and recorded crimes against her for years, without her knowledge. Those videos, some showing sexual torture, are being traded like currency within an online network of men who secretly rape their wives and girlfriends and then share, trade and sell videos of their abuse with other men. Our investigation reveals this isn't an isolated case, but part of a sprawling, online community where rape and degradation is normalized, organized and commodified. The scale of the abuse is staggering. But how do you tell Melanie's story and those of other survivors we interviewed, when the people most harmed fear being seen? That question led us to the groundbreaking decision to use artificial intelligence to digitally reconstruct the faces of survivors. Not to distort the truth, but to deliver it. Beyond the blur Facial expression invokes empathy and yet survivors of sexual violence are usually shown in silhouette, with their faces blurred or pixilated. Viewers are asked to feel something for people they can't fully see. Our team didn't think that was good enough for Melanie or for the others we interviewed. Using AI, we were able to create new, fictional faces, mapped to their real expressions. Their actual face is never shown, but their digitally altered faces move with their words. Viewers can see emotion. Sadness. Anger. Fear. Defiance. It brings survivors out of the shadows. This technology, often maligned in the era of deepfakes, can be used for more than deception. It can be used for truth. We are transparent with our audience: what you're seeing isn't real. But what they are saying is. How safe is it? The AI-generated faces are built by blending the real face of the survivor with a computer-created synthetic face. The final image does not retain the original features in a way that could be reverse-engineered. You cannot use AI to 'unmask' the survivor, because the real face simply isn't there anymore. We have been completely transparent about our use of the technology, burning the words 'digitally altered face' onto the screen every time their faces appear. We also flagged, in voice-over, that their faces had been digitally altered. AI altered faces of W5 interviewees for 'Sleeping with the Enemy' Clockwise from top left: the AI-altered faces of people W5 spoke with for this investigation include 'Catherine' (stepsister of a convicted rapist from New Brunswick); 'Julie' (the ex-girlfriend of the convicted rapist from New Brunswick); 'Steve' (the husband of 'Melanie' and a medical doctor); and 'Rachel' (the ex-wife of Hamilton Ont. suspect Bryan Hayward) Groundbreaking decision The decision wasn't made lightly. We chose not to use the digitally altered faces in shorter news pieces that were broadcast on CTV National News over the last two weeks. But we believe it was the right technology outside of the news division. This has rarely, if ever, been done before in Canada. There are legitimate concerns in an age where trust in the media is waning. But in the end, the survivors gave us our answer. They feel seen, but not exposed. Their faces aren't real. But their stories are. The trauma is. The network is. And what was taken from these women — their control, their memory, their consent — is finally being reclaimed. More on this story:
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Inside the predator network: Avery Haines exposes global crime ring
Winnipeg Watch W5's Avery Haines reveals a dark online world where men secretly drug and film their own partners.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
W5 documentary results in second man now under police investigation for potentially drugging, raping and filming a woman
Over the period of several months, W5's Senior Investigative Correspondent Avery Haines infiltrated a global network of men who drug, rape, videotape, sell and exchange videos of women being abused. Warning: This story contains graphic details and allegations of sexual assault A man in Europe is now being investigated by police following W5's infiltration of a global online network of men who secretly drug, rape, film and share the content of their wives and intimate partners. This follows the arrest of a Hamilton, Ont. man on May 16. After being alerted by W5 of potential crimes taking place, Hamilton police arrested 36-year-old Bryan Hayward. He was subsequently charged with sexual assault; assault with a weapon; administering a noxious substance; distribution of intimate images; and voyeurism, among other charges. He is accused of drugging, raping, filming and posting videos of his ex-girlfriend on a porn site. Both the arrest of Hayward and the new case in Europe are a direct result of W5's investigation. For tips on this or any other story please email: Senior Investigative Correspondent Avery Haines gained access to this massive online network by posing as a man who wanted to drug and assault his wife. There, she uncovered Hayward's profile and also befriended the man in Europe. He shared his e-mail address with Haines, not realizing she was an undercover journalist. He revealed in horrific detail how he drugs and rapes his unsuspecting wife. The content of which is uploaded on a publicly accessible porn site. 'She will slowly disappear, her consciousness will leave, and leave you with a body at your command..,' he writes to Haines in one message. He describes how his wife's sleep apnea is of no concern: '...well, she has respiratory arrest very rarely, so what? We don't die from it!' he emails. The man describes how he turns his wife into his own personal sex object: 'I had a lot of fun with my wife transformed into a toy…' the man writes. '...your doll will do everything you want guaranteed.' He even brags that he has been knocking women unconscious for 20 years: 'None of the women I sedated suffered any after-effects, none…' Over the course of several weeks of correspondence the man reveals his first name, his profession and the city in Europe where he lives. W5 alerted police who confirm they are now investigating the man. In Hamilton, Bryan Hayward sits behind bars as he awaits an upcoming bail hearing on June 13. In the meantime, W5 dug up his criminal record. It reveals a history of charges and convictions spanning nearly two decades and several cities. Bryan Hayward Bryan Hayward was arrested and charged with sexual assault as a result of an ongoing W5 investigation. (Undated photo) In addition to false ID charges and court attendance and bail condition convictions, Hayward was convicted of theft under $5,000 in Hamilton in 2009; utter forged documents and possess or sell ID documents in St. Catharines, Ont. in 2017; and fraud under $5,000 in Brantford, Ont. in 2018. There was also an impaired driving conviction last year in Cayuga, Ont. In 2020 he was convicted on drug possession charges in Hamilton. Again in Hamilton, he was charged in 2021 for making an explosive substance which W5 has learned likely resulted in the amputation of his left hand. Those charges were later withdrawn. In July 2024, Hayward was charged with dangerous driving and criminal harassment stemming from an incident with an ex-girlfriend. He is currently charged with sexual assault for allegedly drugging and raping the same woman. W5 has learned this same ex-girlfriend spoke with Hamilton police alerting them of similar alleged crimes in January 2024. Though Hamilton police did interview her, she ultimately didn't press charges due to concerns she wouldn't be believed. Vial of propofol The powerful anesthetic, propofol, is one of the drugs offered within this network of men who share rape content of women. It's the same drug that killed Michael Jackson. (W5) Since Hayward's arrest, other potential victims have contacted Hamilton police, but it is uncertain how many. In a statement, Hamilton police wrote '...to protect the integrity of the investigation we will not be releasing the number.' Over half a dozen women have contacted W5 about Hayward relating to concerns surrounding drugging or alleged sexual assault. A Toronto nurse shared a text exchange she says was with Hayward in 2022. 'You drugged me and raped me. That will never be okay, and you should think about your daughter (if you actually have one) when you think about terrorizing other human beings,' she wrote. 'You are less than human and you don't deserve to be a parent.' Hayward did not reply to her message and the woman did not report him to police. W5 has confirmed that Hayward does in fact have a daughter. In an exclusive interview, W5 interviewed Haywards's ex-wife, the mother of his child. We are concealing her identity for the protection of her and her daughter. 'I have lost all trust and faith in the system,' she told W5's Avery Haines. 'It took yourself and the W5 team to uncover this and make this arrest happen. I truly believe that if it weren't for your intervention, that he would still be free today.' W5 will have more of that interview Friday, including distressing details involving the drugging of his own daughter. More on this story: W5's full documentary 'Sleeping with the Enemy' that exposes a Canadian and alleged rapists around the world airs May 31 at 9 p.m. on CTV
