Wefers Sarah, Dieseth Therese, George Emily, Øverland Ida, Jolapara Jayeta, McAree Ciara, Findlater Donald
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Epsom, United Kingdom.
Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER), Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Sex Offending. 2024 Feb 15;19:e13147. doi: 10.5964/sotrap.13147. eCollection 2024 Feb.
The prevalence of online child sexual grooming offenses has been on the rise, posing significant risks to children. Child sexual grooming involves sexual communication with minors. This study aims to understand motivations and pathways of individuals who have engaged in online grooming behaviour, as well as propose effective prevention and intervention strategies. A sample of 14 male participants who had engaged in online child grooming were interviewed. Five themes were identified through thematic analysis: Social aspects, Mental health and psychological aspects, Justification for offending, Secrecy and Technology. Within all five themes risk factors and protective factors relating to online grooming behaviour were identified. Three pathways into online grooming behaviour were hypothesised: social connection, addictive behaviour, and fantasy/roleplay. Additionally, the study highlights the complex relationship between online grooming and other child sexual abuse offences, including the sharing and distribution of indecent images of children. The study underscores the need for greater education and awareness about the risks and harms associated with online grooming for those at risk of engaging in this behaviour as well as wider support and situational prevention approaches, including monitoring and use of warning messages on relevant online platforms.
在线儿童性诱骗犯罪的发生率一直在上升，给儿童带来了重大风险。儿童性诱骗涉及与未成年人进行性交流。本研究旨在了解参与在线诱骗行为的个人的动机和途径，并提出有效的预防和干预策略。对14名参与在线儿童诱骗的男性参与者进行了访谈。通过主题分析确定了五个主题：社会方面、心理健康和心理方面、犯罪理由、保密和技术。在所有五个主题中，都确定了与在线诱骗行为相关的风险因素和保护因素。假设了三种进入在线诱骗行为的途径：社会联系、成瘾行为和幻想/角色扮演。此外，该研究强调了在线诱骗与其他儿童性虐待犯罪之间的复杂关系，包括儿童不雅图像的分享和传播。该研究强调，对于有从事这种行为风险的人，需要加强关于在线诱骗相关风险和危害的教育和认识，以及更广泛的支持和情境预防方法，包括在相关在线平台上进行监测和使用警告信息。
