Webinar: Addressing the Rise of Nihilistic Violence Extremism (NVE) and Sadistic Online Behavior

Description

Within the past few years, domestic and international law enforcement have grown increasingly concerned about a collection of online communities, colloquially referred to as the Comms, that target adolescents. The perpetrators engage in various tactics to build a relationship with the youth victim before inflicting a range of harms. For instance, online predators purposely target vulnerable populations with mental illness while engaging in love-bombing, sextortion, and self-mutilation encouragement. Though the techniques and harms inflicted are appalling, what is perhaps equally unsettling is that most offenders are adolescents themselves.  

Professionals in social work and clinicians assisting youth with problematic sexual behaviors are encouraged to attend this workshop, as they are likely to start fielding questions and referrals involving the Comms if they are not already. Attendees will learn about the various factions that make up this decentralized system, as well as how perpetrators use their crimes as a form of social currency to boost their reputations.  Participants will learn about different elements under the Nihilistic Violence Extremist (NVE) umbrella, like 764, No Lives Matter, mass attacks, white supremacy, and the occult.  

The discussion will focus on primary prevention considerations, potential emerging risk factors, and how to conduct a thorough evaluation of perpetrators.  Although Dr. Rodrigues aims to prevent glamorization of NVE, trigger-warnings do apply given the graphic nature of the offending.  

Learning Objectives:

1. Analyze the similarities and differences between Nihilistic Violence Extremism (NVE) and previous violent extremist movements, including how online environments influence recruitment, engagement, and offending behaviors. 
2. Apply trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate social work strategies to identify risks, engage affected youth and families, develop safety plans, and coordinate referrals or mandated reports when necessary.
3. Recognize and describe at least two forms of criminal behavior commonly associated with NVE, and discuss the potential risks these behaviors pose to youth, victims, and communities. 
4. Identify at least two groups or factions within the NVE ecosystem and explain how their ideologies, online activities, and social dynamics contribute to the spread of harmful and violent behaviors. 

Bio: Dr. Alex Rodrigues is a practicing psychologist who completes high-stakes evaluations in the legal and employment domains.  He has testified in various jurisdictions in matters regarding sexual violence, competency to proceed, criminal insanity, and parental fitness. More recently, Dr. Rodrigues has returned to therapeutic work with clients, specifically young men struggling to launch their lives.   Outside of direct clinical work, Dr. Rodrigues can often be found writing on his website, Digital Birds & Bees, as well as on Substack.