3.3 What is grooming for sexual abuse?

Sexual abuse never just happens. Grooming describes the way in which individuals behave so they can access and abuse their vulnerable targets and maintain secrecy to avoid exposure.

Grooming is a process abusers use to prepare, manipulate, and control their potential victims, the victim’s support network (family or friends), colleagues (coaches, volunteers, and others) – sometimes even a whole organisation – so that they can commit the abuse and keep it undetected.

Most abusers are aware of the seriousness of what they do, and of the consequences of being caught. They therefore take great care to hide or disguise their motivations and actions.

Grooming can happen in all environments/contexts where there are potential victims, including the sporting environment. Grooming can take place anywhere, in the real or digital world. Anyone could be a groomer, and anyone could be groomed.

In some countries, grooming a child for sexual abuse or other purposes is a criminal offence. Your organisation should understand what the law in your country says about grooming.