Understanding the behavioral aspects of cyber sexual grooming
| Author | Majeed Khader,Chew Wei Xin,Donica Tang Li Hui |
| Published date | 01 March 2015 |
| Date | 01 March 2015 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1461355714566782 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Understanding the behavioral
aspects of cyber sexual grooming:
Implications for law enforcement
Donica Tang Li Hui
Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Chew Wei Xin
Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Majeed Khader
Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre, Home Team Academy, Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore, and Division of
Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Abstract
Law enforcementagencies worldwideare concerned about cyber sexualgrooming (CSG), particularlybecause of its potential
to increasinglybecome transnationaland global. The Internetmedium facilitates CSG,where predators can draw childreninto
afac¸ade relationshipthrough systematic grooming,inappropriate sexualadvances and manipulation,for the purpose of sexual
victimization. This article discusses four main issues. First, it discusses the definition of CSG and its inadequacies. Second, it
reviews the behavioral characteristics of CSG perpetrators and victims, exposing the prevailing myths that offenders are
violent paedophiles and strangers to their victims. Third, it illustrates how the CSG process unfolds through five different
psychological and behavioral stages. Finally, recommendations are provided for caregivers, schools, law enforcement
authorities, andadolescents to remain proactivein the prevention of and intervention in CSG.
Keywords
Cyber sexual grooming, Internet, profiling behavior
Submitted 11 Aug 2014, accepted 18 Nov 2014
It has stereotypically been presumed that sexual predators
only prey on victims in the playground, at school, or within
local neighborh oods, an occurrenc e defined tradi tionally as
‘grooming’. This has changed with the onset ofthe Informa-
tion Age, as children can now be emotionally seduced, pur-
sued, and manipulated virtually in the safe environment of
their own homes, even in the privacy of their bedrooms
through smartphones. Social networks such as Facebook,
instant messagingprograms such as Microsoft NetworkLive
Messenger, micro-blogging sites such as Twitter,and photo-
sharing toolssuch as Instagram have fostered a closeInternet
community and brought about efficient communication
through creative means. Yet, along with the advantages of
such progress, troubling acts of misuse have surfaced in
recent years. Suler (1999) has attested that the Internet
affords an environment to pursue behaviors that are healthy
and wholesome, o r pathologically a ddictive. Indee d, it is
recognized that the cyberspace possesses a dual nature with
two opposing properties; it is manipulated for both morally
enriching and unethically threatening reasons (Barak and
King, 2000).It is in the latter case that problems, such as sex-
ual grooming and the production of pornography, emergein
Corresponding author:
Majeed Khader, Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre, Home Team
Academy, Singapore.
Email: Majeed_Khader@MHA.gov.sg
International Journalof
Police Science & Management
2015, Vol. 17(1) 40–49
ªThe Author(s) 2015
Reprints and permission:
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355714566782
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