Last week, a video that elicited widespread outrage among internet users quickly went viral on various social media platforms.
The footage depicts a young girl being subjected to humiliation and physical abuse at the hands of several other teenagers, all while bystanders mere meters away filmed the incident.
The video was made public with the consent of the victim's mother and the young girl herself, in an effort to identify and locate the individuals responsible. The case has since been referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office for further investigation.
Context: Videos depicting bullying incident in Luxembourg spread across social media
Simone Flammang, First Advocate General and head of the Youth Court, stressed that although Luxembourg lacks specific criminal legislation for minors, it does not absolve the perpetrators from accountability for their actions.
In this case, the involved individuals may face community service hours as a consequence. In more severe cases, placement in state socio-educational centres such as Dreiborn, Schrassig, or Bourglinster might be considered.
All parties involved, including the victim, perpetrators, and individuals who recorded the incident, are being interviewed by the police.
Minors who are suspects have the same legal rights as adults, including the right to legal representation. Notably, the victim is not required to file a formal complaint, as law enforcement is automatically activated when incidents of this nature come to their attention.
However, Simone Flammang highlighted that Luxembourg lacks a dedicated unit specifically focused on tracking down such videos.
It is important to note that sharing such images on social networks remains illegal, regardless of the motive. Simone Flammang illustrated this by citing an example of child pornography, stressing that even if the young victim consents to the video being shared online, it remains illegal.
However, despite the fact that the victim's mother unlawfully shared her daughter's video, she will not be subject to investigation. The video is reported to have been shared more than 8,000 times on Facebook.
Addressing the incident, the Josy Barthel secondary school in Mamer issued a statement, firmly expressing their zero-tolerance stance towards such behaviour and affirming that appropriate measures are being taken.
Recently, several clues have emerged on TikTok suggesting that this incident might have been motivated by a form of revenge against the young victim. Various users reported that she had previously shared intimate photos of other individuals without their consent.
Although the Public Prosecutor's Office possesses substantial information, they are unable to confirm whether such behaviour is becoming more prevalent on the internet.
Nonetheless, authorities have indicated that they "do not feel overwhelmed" by this phenomenon. No specific figures can be provided, as comprehensive statistics on the subject are currently unavailable.
