Online Gangs Targeting Teens with Misogynistic Material, Warns U.K. Crime Agency

The U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA) has declared that there is an escalating "unprecedented risk" for young people, particularly teenage boys, who are at risk of being lured into sadistic online gangs that promote misogynistic and self-destructive behaviors.

In a recent report detailing crime trends, the NCA highlighted a dramatic sixfold increase in incidents connected to these online threats since 2022. According to Graeme Biggar, the director general of the NCA, these groups operate in open forums commonly frequented by youth, not hidden behind the dark web. He expressed concern that minors, including girls as young as 11, are being groomed and manipulated into both violent offenses and self-harm.

The report outlined the troubling dynamics of these online communities, where young males are particularly active in distributing harmful content and initiating others into violent behaviors. “These gangs engage in coordinated efforts to not just induce harm but to create a culture where such actions are normalized,” Biggar stated.

As the NCA continues to address these manifest dangers, the call for heightened vigilance amongst parents, educators, and digital platforms has never been more urgent to protect young people from being exploited and victimized in this digital landscape.