Title: 
Headings: Behaviors of Sexual Predators:  Grooming
Behaviors
 
of
 
Sexual
 
Predators:
  
Grooming
 

Content: Parents
 
may
 
unknowingly
 
encourage
 
this
 
by
 
appreciating
 
this
 
unique
 
relationship. Sexualizing
 
the
 
interaction. Grooming
 
begins
 
with
 
nonsexual
 
touching,
 
such
 
as
 
accidental
 
or
 
playful
 
touching
 
to
 
desensitize
 
the
 
child
 
so
 
the
 
child
 
does
 
not
 
resist
 
a
 
more
 
sexualized
 
touch. The
 
offender
 
then
 
exploits
 
the
 
child’s
 
curiosity
 
to
 
advance
 
the
 
sexuality
 
of
 
the
 
interaction. Maintaining
 
control. The
 
predator
 
may
 
use
 
threats
 
and
 
guilt
 
to
 
enforce
 
secrecy
 
and
 
force
 
the
 
child’s
 
continued
 
participation
 
and
 
silence: “If
 
you
 
tell
 
your
 
mother
 
what
 
happened,
 
she’ll
 
hate
 
you”
 
or
 
“If
 
you
 
tell
 
anyone,
 
I’ll
 
hurt
 
someone
 
in
 
the
 
family.” The
 
abuser
 
may
 
also
 
blame
 
the
 
child
 
for
 
allowing
 
it
 
to
 
happen
 
or
 
normalize
 
it
 
by
 
saying
 
that
 
it
 
is
 
“okay”. If
 
you
 
or
 
someone
 
you
 
know
 
suspects
 
child
 
abuse,
 
please
 
contact
 
your
 
local
 
law
 
enforcement
 
agency,
 
department
 
of
 
social
 
services
 
or
 
call
 
1-800-332-6347. For
 
more
 
information
 
or
 
additional
 
resources,
 
visit
 
www.mcasa.org
 
or
 
call
 
800-983-7278.