Minami's Reviews

I have only watched attentively half the programme, at time of writing, but I already completely regret disregarding the warnings in the beginning, which was then re-emphasised by the host Ioanna Roumeliotis, and braving it during the graveyard hours, not least. 15 or so minutes in, I said internally, "fucking hell". But unfortunately I was in for even worse things.

The episode covers a terrorist, child sex abuse network on Discord/Telegram called 764, operating across the West. It really hit home because I personally knew some who were into goth/emo stuff while also suffering mental health problems (in the past).

Ioanna first introduces us to a victim of 764 (Victim 1, will not name them here), who was dressed as emo (I guess that she was also into such stuff in real life), and the first moment when I should have realised that I should have heeded those warnings was a video from a 764 Discord shown quite early on, of a groomer pressuring a kid to eat an animal (will not describe this scene in detail, though obviously it is censored). Then the show takes us through Victim 1's twisted attachment with a specific 764 member who further exploited their past and caused them to be such dependent on the member for validation. Finally, the victim came to the point of attempting suicide, to the twisted enjoyment (I guess?) and goading of some random sadistic men on Discord.

One of the issue that led Victim 1 to such a precipitous personal decline, as they themselves said, was the pressure to fit in. The other was their past abuse and their resultant need for validation from the opposite sex. Thus I couldn't help but ask if they already had other underlying issues that (1) desensitised them to images of gore and (2) drew them to the social networks that eventually led them to 764. In other words, I wonder what kinds of personalities, what kinds of relationships and what kinds of issues would make certain teens more vulnerable to such exploitation and manipulation.

764 also enjoys Armageddon for the sake of destruction, and their members were described at one later point as "misanthropic" by Marc Andre Angetino, a 764 expert. Their networks actually masquerade as "supportive places" and that clearly plays into the need for validation that is experienced by vulnerable teens, and use Twitter communities/hashtags, games like Minecraft etc to recruit members. I don't claim to know their psyche, but for (at least myself, who does suffer from a mental illnes but is receiving treatment), there's at times the temptation to screw the whole world up and just carve my own path, not caring about the consequences. I wonder if the victims or even the 764 perpetrators themselves harbour(ed) such feelings. For the former, that careless attitude, evidenced probably by their goth/emo lifestyle, might have resulted in both desensitisation and the connections that eventually led them to 764 (the need for validation made them vulnerable to the groomers' manipulation). For the latter, that might help explain the network's sadistic motive of world destruction and their members' lack of empathy. For those fortunate enough to not yet be targeted by these twisted groups, I would say, we have to try and keep our sanity intact, and avoid giving in to such temptations. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

The parents of both victims featured on the programme were desperate to reach out to their kids as they spiralled towards insanity. Unfortunately the only solutions I could advise to the parents who read this page is to get their kids not to play games or on the phones too much, and try to love them properly.

Finally, the issue of police intervention is highlighted, given the long delay experienced by the victims' families after seeking police help. Obviously some delay will arise when dealing with emerging threats like 764, but there needs to be comprehensive reviews to speed up mental health aid to teens suspected of/vulnerable to being exploited. In Victim 1's case specifically, why couldn't the RCMP arrange for the provincial health services to monitor them while they were investigating? Why didn't the RCMP "believe" in them and try to address their case expeditiously, given the harm already caused to them? There were missed opportunities to reduce harm, I think.

Rank A, but there are so many psychological aspects still left to be uncovered.

Caution: You will be seeing plenty of gore. Are you sure you're prepared to stomach it?

If you are experiencing or have recently experienced temptations of murder/destruction that you cannot suppress; issues with attachment, belonging and validation; or other issues featured in the documentary, or if you know anyone who is experiencing or has recently experienced any of that, please contact a therapist immediately to start the appropriate treatment. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call the police and/or emergency medical services.

764 is a terrorist and child abuse network that may be operating in your country. Be vigilant when browsing online, especially (I'd say) if you regularly browse in emo or mental illness communities. If you come across information that could point to active child abuse or terrorism, call the police.