What is grooming?

Grooming is a word used to describe how people who want to sexually harm children and young people get close to them, and often their families, and gain their trust. 

Online grooming may occur by people forming relationships with children and pretending to be their friend. 

It is easy for ‘groomers’ to find child victims online. They generally use chatrooms which are focussed around young people’s interests. They often pretend to be younger and may even change their gender. Many give a false physical description of themselves which may bear no resemblance to their real appearance – some send pictures of other people, pretending that it is them. 

Information taken from: http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/online_grooming.htm