This second video shows a young boy playing games online with his friends when an unknown person tries to befriend him. But what does this person want?

What is grooming?

Grooming is when a adult builds up a relationship with a child/young person/adult at risk, so that they can abuse and manipulate them into doing things for them.

What does this look like?

Grooming can take place:

• online via gaming/social media
• face to face

Some signs to look out for:

• Are they being secretive about how they're spending their time?
• Do they have an older boyfriend or girlfriend?
• Do they have money or new things like clothes and mobile phones that they can't or won't explain?
• Are they drinking or taking drugs?
• Are they spending more or less time than usual online or on their devices?
• Do they seem upset or withdrawn?
• Are they using sexual language you wouldn’t expect them to know?
• Are they spending more time away from home or going missing for periods of time?

A person won't know they're being groomed, they will trust their abuser who is giving them lots of attention and gifts. Also, their groomer may have warned them not to talk to anyone about it.

What can I do if I, or someone I know is being groomed?

Chat to a teacher/trusted adult/parent or guardian about your concerns. They will be able to support you with options and where to go next.

If you think a crime has been committed, contact Police via 101 (non-emergency) or 999 if their lives in danger. If you feel you cannot talk to Police, you can report via fearless.org

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