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Letters | ‘Harmcore’ videos by trafficking syndicates create perfect storm of criminality
- Readers discuss criminal groups’ use of social media to gain additional revenue, the need to hold online influencers responsible for their endorsements, and an inspirational pastry chef
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In the last two years, criminal syndicates in Southeast Asia have adopted a disturbingly innovative approach to human trafficking, ensnaring individuals in a vicious cycle of scamming others.
This reprehensible crime unfolds through two predominant methods. Victims are either enticed under the false pretence of a lucrative job opportunity or trapped in online romantic entanglements, and coaxed into relocating to Southeast Asia.
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Once in the clutches of human traffickers, they are coerced into scamming others for up to 14 hours a day against their will.
Those who resist compliance or fail to meet daily targets often face severe physical abuse and torture. This abuse is often documented in graphic footage, depicting the brutal methods employed, including beatings and tasering.
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The content of these videos is referred to as harmcore, a term combining “harm” with “hardcore”, signifying the explicit violent nature of the content.
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