What is Grooming?
Grooming refers to a manipulative process in which an offender, known as a groomer, deliberately builds trust with a child or young person through a series of calculated steps. This process is often subtle and gradual, making it difficult to detect. Many children and adolescents fall victim to sexual exploitation due to their innocence and lack of experience. In some cases, even the adults around them may unknowingly become part of the manipulation.
Understand the grooming process through an animated clip by the Internet Foundation for the Development of Thailand.
The consequences of grooming can be devastating, leaving both physical and psychological scars. Victims often struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, and social stigma, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts. In the most tragic cases, self-harm and suicide become heartbreaking outcomes of the trauma they have endured.
Addressing the issue only after harm has occurred is not an effective solution. Instead, prevention and early intervention are the most powerful and effective ways to combat grooming and protect children from exploitation.
For this reason, we are committed to preventing grooming through various initiatives. These include training programs for children, youth, parents, teachers, and professionals working in child protection, as well as building networks within educational institutions to implement effective prevention and response strategies against grooming.
