Jumpen

Jumpen ("jumping") is a trend among young people in which a (often random) peer is unexpectedly attacked by a group, after which the footage is shared on platforms such as Snapchat and Telegram. What begins on social media as short videos and "tough" challenges is anything but harmless: it is not a game or a joke, but can lead to intimidation, assault and long-term impact.

The term comes from street slang and refers to several people attacking one person at the same time. The phenomenon is not new — it has been happening for longer in the US and England — but is now spreading more visibly in the Netherlands, partly because violence on social media is used to increase status and visibility. Characteristic features: young people arrange in advance where someone will be (sometimes locations or schools are shared); victims are chosen at random or deliberately; the violence is filmed before, during and after the incident; perpetrators then present themselves online as a provocation. Girls also play a role: they sometimes take part in the violence, but are also used as bait — making contact with a young person and luring him/her to a place where a group is waiting. The violence is therefore not only physical, but also socially and strategically organised.

Mechanisms behind taking part:

• Status and visibility: violent footage attracts attention and strengthens online reputation
• Peer pressure: young people want to belong and conform to the group
• Excitement and thrill: risk and adrenaline play a major role
• Identity and image: coming across as "hard" is seen as strength
• Normalisation of violence: through repetition on social media, the seriousness fades
• Division of roles within the group: "tasks" such as filming, luring or carrying out the attack lower the threshold for taking part

Why this works so strongly:

• Online reward: the more extreme the content, the more reach and recognition
• Group dynamics: shared responsibility blurs boundaries
• Image building: young people build an identity around strength and dominance
• Escalation: videos lead to reactions, revenge or new actions
• Clever tactics: bait (such as girls) lowers victims' alertness

• Young people who talk about "jumpen" or see it as normal
• Videos in which violence is shared or glorified
• Deliberately approaching others to meet at specific locations
• Young people who suddenly make intensive contact with someone for no clear reason, possibly on behalf of a group
• Group formation focused on fighting, status and dominance
• Change in behaviour: less empathy, more provocation or bravado

Why this is GEVAARLIJK (dangerous): this concerns organised, deliberate physical violence against minors with a risk of serious assault and long-term impact. In the event of a concrete arrangement/luring action or a young person who has been attacked: escalate immediately to safety (police) and protect the young person/people involved — do not wait.

'Jumpen' shows how an online trend can grow into organised and deliberate violence; the division of roles — including girls as bait — makes it more complex and harder to recognise. What the professional can do:

• Open up discussion of all roles: not only perpetrators, but also those filming and those luring contribute to the violence
• Raise awareness: discuss how seemingly "small" roles have major consequences
• Build resilience: help young people say no to peer pressure and manipulation
• Work with network partners: school, parents, youth work and the neighbourhood team (wijkteam) are crucial when there are signals
• Offer alternatives: focus on healthy forms of status and recognition
• Stay close: young people who are involved need support to get out

Identifying signals early and taking all the roles involved seriously prevents escalation — what begins as an online challenge can end in serious assault.

In groups
- Why do videos like this get so much attention?
- What happens to someone who gets lured into a trap?
- When does something go from a joke to violence?
- What role does peer pressure play in this?

One-to-one
- What do you think of those 'jump' videos?
- Have you ever seen someone deliberately being lured somewhere?
- What would you do if you were asked to get someone to come somewhere?
- How can you set your limits in a situation like that?

Stay calm and open. Young people do not always see their own role (for example as the one filming or 'organising') as problematic, even though it is very much part of the whole — name that without immediately labelling the young person as a perpetrator, so that the conversation remains possible.

• TrendSein – 'Jumpen': Groepsdruk, online status en de normalisering van geweld (LinkedIn carousel, 4 slides + intro text, Trendsein - jumpen linkedin carrousel.md)