Grooming child victims in an online environment
Abstract
This research focuses on grooming techniques used by predators in their search and seduction of child victims in an online environment. Specifically, the research focused on techniques used in the physical world and sought to understand which techniques transfer into the online world. There are six grooming techniques studied within this research: communication to find vulnerabilities and/or interests, control through attention, money, and gifts, sharing adult pornography, sending and requesting pictures of each other, cybersex, and requesting a physical meeting. The data was gathered by putting a self-report survey online for the general public to take; those allowed to participate were 18 years or older and had access to the Internet. After the data was collected, frequency analyses and t-tests were run. The analysis categorized 3 out of 71 participants as groomers. Out of the six techniques, only two were found to be frequently used in the online grooming world, namely pictures and cybersex. Beyond understanding what techniques are used, further study of online groomers, their character traits, and the way they access their potential victims is critical. By further studying these areas, parents, teachers, and law enforcement will be better able to protect children and adolescents.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Rogers, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Behavioral psychology|Social psychology|Communication|Criminology|Technical Communication
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.