Grooming is the process in which traffickers identify their victims and control them for the purpose of human trafficking. It can also be said to be the process traffickers use to control and manipulate someone for the purpose of human trafficking. Child grooming on the other hand is the befriending and establishing of an emotional connection with a child and/or the family with the aim of sexual abuse.
Who can be targeted? Anyone can be a target to grooming by traffickers. From children, teenagers to adults.
STAGES OF GROOMING. 1.Targeting a victim. Traffickers target victims that are vulnerable. The vulnerability can be in the form of emotional and financial needs or even low self-esteem. The hunt for victims usually involves the use of tools like the social media to identify the most suitable and approachable persons.
2.Gaining trust and information. This is done through casual conversations between the victim and the traffickers. In some cases, the traffickers engage with the family of the victim to avoid any suspicion thus they use the art of discipline at all times. This process aims at collecting information about the victim so as to know their needs and how to fulfill them.
3.Filling the need. After recognizing the needs of the victim, traffickers begin to fill them through gifts, attention, affection, emotional support, illegal substances in the case of addicts, financial support among other things. This builds a dependency relationship as the victim starts to rely on the trafficker to fulfill their needs.
4.Isolation. The traffickers create time to be alone with the victim. They isolate the victim from family members and friends. This offers a good chance to manipulate them as their try to show them that they care and love them more than their family or friends.
5.Development of a sexual relationship. At this stage, the traffickers begin to quench the curiosity of victims through feelings of stimulation to advance the sexuality of the relationship. This provides a chance for the offender to shape the sexuality of the victim especially if the victim is a child. The offender at this stage urges the victim to keep their relationship a secret.
6.Abuse begins. At this stage the offender starts to claim the favours or services they offered to be repaid. It may start with sending indecent photos which may be used as blackmail. The traffickers may also demand sex as payment.
7.Maintaining control. In order to maintain control, the trafficker may use violence, emotional blackmail or threaten to harm the victim or their family.
How then can one identify if an individual is being groomed? To begin with, if you are a guardian or parent if you notice that your child has new things out of the ordinary, enquire about it. From the discussion, traffickers lure their victims by providing them with things they need thus it is wise to investigate from whom they get these new things. It is key to note that parents can be groomed hence parents should enquire more into details about unknown persons who willingly offer to help your children either by scholarships or financially.
Secondly, the change of behavior and attitude or disconnecting themselves from others is another sign. If a child starts acting in an unusual manner then it’s wise to try and understand why. Most victims are made to understand that their families and friends don’t care about them hence will start distancing themselves. The victims may even change their attitude towards people they surround themselves with because of being brainwashed.
New friends. If an individual starts going out with unknown persons of questionable behavior then this may be another sign. Traffickers often connect their victims with other potential victims and may at times ask these victims to look for other friends who can be exploited as well.
If you happen to suspect that a child or individual is being abused in any way or being groomed contact the authorities via the free toll 116112 or
Report online via http://www.ke-cirt.go.ke
incidents@ke.cirt.go.ke
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