Beschütze dein Kind vor Tätern im Netz!

Just as it sounds, this is the stage where a perpetrator will make contact and try to build a friendship. They often target children and teens with screen names that make them sound young or that sound sexual in some way. They use small talk to gather information about interests, age, gender, etc. The perpetrator may revisit this stage frequently through the grooming process to keep the “friendship” going.

At this stage, a perpetrator will use what they learned in the previous stage to reveal how similar they are to the child or teen. They’ll be empathetic and do their best to become a confidante, showing more compassion than anyone else in their life in an attempt to be the person the child or teen goes to with problems.

This is usually the stage where a perpetrator will begin to push boundaries. They’ll see if the child or teen will disclose their location, their schedule, how often they are left alone, etc. This will help them decide whether or not they are likely to be caught if they continue to target this particular child or teen. This is also the stage where they will introduce sexual topics to see the reaction of the child or teen.

At this point the perpetrator only wants the child or teen to trust them. This is when the perpetrator will try to make sure that their relationship is “exclusive” and make it clear that no one can know what’s going on between the two of them. They’ll use coercion, guilt, or even threats to ensure that what’s happening remains a secret. The perpetrator will begin discussing sexual topics more explicitly.

Once trust is established and unquestioned, the perpetrator will let their intentions be known. They’ll be more explicit by sending pornography, asking about the child or teen’s past sexual experiences, and detail what sexual acts they’d like to engage in. It’s at this point where the discussion will lead to meeting in person where the sexual abuse will escalate to a physical point.