In 82 videos shared on social media, Danish children and young people are humiliated and beaten. This is now prompting several spokespersons to react.
Morten Dahlin (V) wants to increase the penalty for filming and sharing videos where a person is humiliated and beaten. (Archive photo) (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix) 15 minutes ago
Venstre's group chairman Morten Dahlin is appalled.
Danish children and young people humiliate and beat other children and young people in 82 videos that the company Darksight Analytics has found for DR (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/kys-min-sko-boern-bruger-ydmygelsesvideoer-som-vaaben-mod-hinanden). The videos are shared on social media as what an expert calls "a digital trophy" – that is, a video recorded and shared with the purpose of gaining respect and recognition.
In many of the videos, the victims are ordered to say sorry, kiss the perpetrator's shoe, or say degrading things about themselves. Berlingske (https://www.berlingske.dk/emne/farlige-boern?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWgc1eOTUYPCNRDkXZMzcX0xhpzZeaTUrFTacEIOmsGG3QLzZsxI6wxPX_CJqpjvx8o%3D&gaa_ts=6ae8b516&gaa_sig=ZUFOcKM-oiTaS4rtM-e8JT1QGSqQKTaRSOX6gHWDW4hu2IgGaJZSEe2YO-WbuY54uqZXoILi7VyWRU-67B6ywQ%3D%3D) has also described the phenomenon.
- It is absolutely outrageous that this is happening in Denmark. It is deeply, deeply frightening, and we have to do something about it, says Morten Dahlin, who is acting legal spokesperson for Venstre.
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Humiliators should go directly to prison
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For him, the conclusion is clear: the penalty for humiliating others must be increased.
If it were up to him, a penalty for simple assault should be tripled if the perpetrator humiliates the victim by, for example, filming it.
- And most importantly, we believe that the clear starting point must be that if you commit humiliation violence, you should not be able to get away with a suspended sentence. Then you should go directly to prison, he says.
Read also: 'Kiss my shoe': Children use humiliation videos as weapons against each other (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/kys-min-sko-boern-bruger-ydmygelsesvideoer-som-vaaben-mod-hinanden)
It is only two years since it was written into the criminal code that it should be an aggravating circumstance if the act for which one is punished "has a humiliating character". But already now, according to Venstre, it is time to look at the new addition again.
The legal spokesperson for the Denmark Democrats, Marlene Harpsøe, agrees.
- There should of course be harsher penalties when you also film these assaults and post them on social media. It is a significant humiliation for the children and young people affected, she says.
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The Red-Green Alliance is against
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Both Morten Dahlin and Marlene Harpsøe also point out that there should be a look at how to try to prevent children and young people from making violence and humiliation videos of each other.
Marlene Harpsøe will approach three ministers to get them to start a working group across the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Children and Education. The working group should ensure better prevention.
- But also that we ensure that the victims are protected. It is completely unreasonable that you experience physical and psychological violence being committed against you, but also that videos are shared, she says.
The Red-Green Alliance's legal spokesperson Rosa Lund does not believe that higher penalties are the way forward. She does, however, agree with the two other politicians that prevention should be looked at.
- There is clearly a need for a social professional effort towards these young people, she says.
At 8 PM, a number of experts will be ready here on dr.dk (http://dr.dk) to answer questions about violence and humiliation videos. You can read more about the phenomenon here (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/kys-min-sko-boern-bruger-ydmygelsesvideoer-som-vaaben-mod-hinanden) or watch the documentary series 'Brutale Børn' on DRTV:
Brutale børn (https://www.dr.dk/drtv/serie/brutale-boern_627993) Documentary | 1 SEASON
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