The first step towards combating grooming is to combine everything we know, including all the 6 stages of grooming both adults and children as well as details of specialist help.
Grooming is a method used by offenders that involves building trust with a child and the adults around a child in an effort to gain access to and time alone with her/him. In extreme cases, offenders may use threats and physical force to sexually assault or abuse a child.
Anyone can be a victim.
No one is immune to grooming, though some are more susceptible than others — including minors, "because of their naiveté,” Marlowe Garrison says. “[Grooming] can occur at any age, and it has a great deal to do with gullibility, insecurity, religion, and culture.
Who can commit the offence? The offence can be committed by any person aged 18 years or over. It does not apply to communication between people who are both under 18 years of age.
Targeting specific kids for special attention, gifts or activities. Slowly isolating a kid from family members and friends – physically and emotionally. Undermining relationships with parents and friends to show that “no one understands you like I do.” Gradually pushing or crossing physical boundaries.
Children are often afraid of disclosing the abuse. They may have been told that they will not be believed, or that something about the child “makes” the abuser do this to them. The child may also feel shame, or fear that they will be blamed.
Children are perhaps most likely to develop a trauma bond when exposed to sexual exploitation and targeted grooming. Sometimes, they may never have experienced physical intimacy, and grooming tactics can lead them to believe that their abuser has genuine feelings for them, and that their behaviour is normal.
Children who have been victimised and experienced grooming are likely to suffer from serious long-term mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts.
Grooming can appear non-sexual and it can occur while the perpetrator is engaging in an "otherwise normal relationship with a child" at the same time.
Grooming disorders are relatively common. A recent survey of 1618 people from the United States found that one out of three people met the clinical diagnosis of at least one grooming disorder [2]. This is greater than the prevalence of depression, anxiety or alcohol abuse [3, 4].
Definition: When a person, whether male or female, plays with someone's feelings in order to gain control of the other person, that process is called grooming. The groomer wants to prepare the person (victim) for some type of behavior that will benefit the groomer's selfish goals or personal gain.
Abusers Often Come on Strong
Intense romance can be a form of grooming, a predatory tactic that is meant to build a deep emotional connection. Abusers know exactly what they are doing.
You may have heard the term as it applies to children, but adults can also groom other adults – even at work. By definition, grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with someone so they can manipulate, exploit and/or abuse them.
What Is the Meaning of Child Grooming? Adults who build stable and trusting relationships with a child under 18 for the purpose of sexually assaulting the minor are considered groomers. As such, you could face state and federal charges for child grooming if the alleged victim is under 15.
The offence of child grooming carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. There is often significant interest from the local and national media in these investigations, which can place the defendant under immense pressure and stress and do irreparable damage to a person's reputation, relationships and career.
In a Nutshell: Sex between an 18 year-old and a 15 year-old is illegal in California, meaning any touching of “private parts” of either, even with consent of both parties (and perhaps even the parents of each teenager) is illegal in California because the age of consent is 18.
Grooming is when someone tries to build trusting relationships with children or families with the aim of child sexual abuse. Grooming can happen face to face or online. Children who are being groomed might have unexplained gifts. Or groomers might take a special interest in children's families.
Talk to your friends. A good friend will listen to you and may help you speak to an adult. Think about reporting it to the police. If the grooming has taken place online, you should also report what's happened to the website or forum where you met and chatted to the person who groomed you.