Members of sadistic online groups such as The Community are also trying to gain a foothold in Belgium.
Child Focus is aware of one case in which a victim inflicted extreme violence on herself, which also involved sexual violence.
This was reported by De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws on Monday, after the Dutch police reported that at least five girls had attempted suicide in the past two years under pressure from such sadistic chat groups.
The Dutch police describe the phenomenon as "one of the most worrying developments of the moment". The police in the Netherlands estimate that dozens of other children have fallen victim to these practices.
"We must be aware that the danger exists, but on the other hand, we must not exaggerate it," says Child Focus CEO Nel Broothaerts. "There is no reason to spread panic at this point."
Child Focus is only aware of that one case in our country, but last summer, Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin (MR) responded to a parliamentary question that the OCAD (Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis) is monitoring two people linked to the terrorist network “764”.
This network is considered a subgroup of The Community, whose members adhere to an amalgam of nihilism, neo-Nazism, Satanism and other extremist ideologies.
The phenomenon is now on Child Focus’s radar because the perpetrators use practices that are also employed in sextortion.
Victims are recruited via chat groups in Telegram or Discord to inflict extreme violence on themselves, sometimes sexual, and to film it.
They are then blackmailed with these images to commit even more serious offences and thus gain even more "status" with the perpetrator.
In the Belgian case, the violence was not directed at third parties, but there are foreign examples where others also became victims.
"Everyone is now familiar with this phenomenon," says Broothaerts. "Abroad, the security services often deal with it as a form of counter-terrorism, because, unlike "classic" sextortion, there is no financial profit model behind it. It is almost about undermining society."
Nevertheless, Broothaerts also reiterates the need not to panic and, above all, to keep talking to children and young people without causing them unnecessary anxiety. "Teach them to try to respect their own boundaries and to seek help if necessary."
Anyone with questions about suicide can contact the Suicide Helpline on the free number 1813 and visit the website www.zelfmoord1813.be.
