25 per photo: Chicago mom battles ex's social media campaign to track their kids

A Chicago mother's harrowing ordeal highlights the challenges victims face when reporting online harassment and cyberstalking to authorities. Dominique Ward, 39, has been locked in a bitter custody battle with her ex-partner, Micah Berkley, who has offered money on Facebook for information about Ward and her 3-year-old twin daughters.

Berkley, 41, confirmed posting rewards like $25 per photo, $50 for videos, and even $10,000 to arrange a "peaceful" meeting with the girls. He calls it "technological warfare" against unfavorable custody rulings, estimating he has paid $6,000 for information. Though Ward sought help from Chicago police, prosecutors, and Facebook, little was done to stop the harassment.

"How do I protect my children if I can't even go to the store without someone following us or stalking my girls?" Ward said. "We have targets on our backs every time we leave the house, but no one is taking it seriously."

A Tribune analysis found Chicago police made arrests in only 2% of domestic-related electronic harassment and cyberstalking cases over the past decade, with a 1% rate since 2021 when Ward first reported concerns. Experts cite difficulties proving who sent harassing messages and lack of training and resources as reasons for low arrests.

"We have great laws on the books, but the problem is that they aren't implemented," said Vickie Smith, former CEO of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "Nobody thinks it is a big deal because they don't understand how this kind of non-physical domestic violence can harm someone on a daily basis."

The struggles extend beyond law enforcement. After numerous reports, Facebook only acted when the governor's office intervened, quickly deactivating Berkley's accounts – raising concerns about unequal access to protection.

"Meta has, quite literally, all of the data it needs to fix this," a governor's aide wrote. A Meta spokesman said the company could not discuss specific cases.

Electronic harassment cases are complex, often involving tech-savvy perpetrators skilled at hiding their tracks. A 2023 Rand study recommended increased training for investigators on new technologies and digital evidence.

"There's a lot of variation across the police departments in their skills and capabilities," said Sasha Romanosky, the study's co-author.

Despite authorities' shortcomings, some criticize victims who don't report, illustrating how harassment can leave targets feeling powerless. Ward vows to keep speaking out.

"People tell me just figure out a way to live with it. No, I won't do that," she said. "I refuse to let my daughters live with it. This has to stop now."