Australian girls are being hunted by online crime networks and coerced into acts of violence against themselves, their siblings, or pets, in what police have described as a twisted type of gamification. This alarming trend has prompted the establishment of a new taskforce to aid international authorities in addressing what has been termed a disturbing front in traditional gender-based violence, according to Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett.
Three arrests have already been made in Australia, with another nine apprehended globally as investigations continue. The exact nature of the acts being committed remains unclear, though Ms. Barrett has indicated that the alleged perpetrators espouse violent extremist beliefs and seek to harm individuals "for fun."
The offenders are primarily young men in their late teens to early 20s who recruit pre-teen or teenage girls via gaming platforms like Roblox and messaging apps such as Discord and Telegram. These individuals, referred to as crimefluencers, subscribe to various extremist ideologies, including nihilism and satanism.
Commissioner Barrett explained that these groups exhibit a culture reminiscent of multiplayer gaming, stalking and targeting victims from assorted online platforms. Their motivations are described as not being financial or sexual in nature, but rather a pursuit of amusement and online popularity.
Approximately 60 alleged offenders have been identified within Australia, and the AFP is collaborating with allies across the Five Eyes nations, which include the US, UK, New Zealand, and Canada, to address the escalation of such crimes.
In an effort to minimize online harm, Australia is set to introduce a groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16, effective in December; however, gaming and messaging platforms will remain exempt from these restrictions.
