Understanding Grooming

Please watch the following the two short films, being mindful their content may be upsetting or, at
the least, unsettling. Ensure you take the time needed to review these and then reflect on the
questions below. This is best done when you have plenty of time and are not in a rush. Your answers
will be sent through to your assessor for review and reflection at your next assessment interview. If
the content is extremely distressing for you, please do not continue, seek assistance and support from
those within your support network, contact your assessor or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Understanding Grooming
According to 2019 Australian Bureau of Statistics information, 86% of Australians who experienced
child sexual abuse knew the perpetrator in the first instance. The first video takes you through the
journey of Grace Tame’s experience of childhood sexual abuse to understand the experience of
grooming. She references the six phases of grooming as outlined by forensic psychiatrist Michael
Welner:

Targeting
Gaining trust
Filling a need
Isolating
Sexualising
Maintaining control

Assessment Questions

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1. What is your initial reaction? What feelings, emotions and thoughts did you experience during this video?

2. What was your understanding of grooming before watching this? What is your understanding now? How do you think grooming impacts a child?

3. What makes children in care more vulnerable to grooming?

Grace Tame refers to the reality that a perpetrator of child sexual abuse usually engages an eco-
system of control, stating “Perpetrators don't just groom their target; they groom everyone to
create an environment in which abuse can thrive in plain sight.”
This can be thought of as ‘community grooming’, where a perpetrator will also utilise strategies of
grooming on others to build trusting relationships with those around the child. They do this to
ensure they have access to the child, and the abuse remains unchecked. An example of this is Rolf
Harris, who was convicted of child sexual abuse and who the Judge stated had used is fame to abuse
young girls:

4. Name 2-3 things a perpetrator may do to groom other people in a child's environment.

5. Secrecy is a powerful tool used by perpetrators to groom children, perpetrate abuse and
avoid detection.

Have you ever asked a child to keep a secret (even a fun one!), and how do you reflect on

this after watching the video?

How do you discuss secrets and privacy with children in your care?
How would you know if a child in your care has a secret?

6. Now that you understand the basics of child grooming, how would you intervene if you see grooming behaviours or if your ‘gut’ (we call this instinct or intuition, or as practitioners, ‘practice wisdom’) is telling you something is wrong? What can you do to protect the children in your care from grooming?

Understanding Grooming

Assessment Questions

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