Within the past few years, domestic and international law enforcement agencies have become increasingly concerned about nihilistic violent extremism (NVE), including a collection of online communities, often referred to as the “Com” community, that targets adolescents. Individuals associated with these communities may use a range of manipulative tactics to establish rapport with young people, often targeting adolescents before perpetrating a variety of harms. For example, they may deliberately exploit vulnerable populations, such as those with mental health concerns, while engaging in love bombing, sextortion, and encouraging self-injurious behaviors. Although the harms associated with these behaviors are serious, a notable feature of these communities is that many of the individuals involved are adolescents themselves.

Dr. Alex Rodrigues has extensive experience consulting on online harms affecting adolescents. He developed this training in response to increasing reports from professionals who treat youth with problematic sexual behaviors and are beginning to encounter referrals involving the Com community.

In this training, Dr. Rodrigues examines the various factions that comprise this decentralized network, with particular attention to how participants often document, promote, and discuss their offenses as a means of self-aggrandizement and social reinforcement. Topics addressed include:

• Primary prevention considerations
• Potential emerging risk factors
• Approaches to conducting comprehensive evaluations of individuals who have caused these harms

This training also reviews several subgroups and related phenomena within the NVE umbrella, including 764, No Lives Matter, mass attacks, white supremacy, and occult-related content. Although Dr. Rodrigues’ goal is to avoid glamorizing NVE-related behavior, content warnings are appropriate given the graphic nature of the offending patterns described.

Interactive Follow-Up Meeting

Attendees are invited to join an open discussion 15 minutes following the end of the training, where you can engage with fellow attendees by turning on your camera and microphone. This is an opportunity to share your experiences and contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Time will be allocated to address questions or insights from the training. Please note that attendance is optional and will not affect your eligibility for a training certificate.