RF Development of the TOG

• TOG

  Tackling online grooming
• the scope of the problem

  ONS (2015) sexual offences, inc those agaisnt children, massively under-recorded

  15% of child SA reported, fewer end up on trial -> lots of reasons as to why there are low reporting no.

  GALLAGHER, FRASER, CHRISTMANN & HODGSON (2006) reported that 2.1% of police cases in the UK each yr relate to online grooming

  CEOP (2010) 2391 reported from public, 64% related to grooming

  LIVINGSTONE ET AL. (2010;2011) arnd 12% of children (11-16 yrs) received sexual msgs online in past 12 months

  most common victims, adolescent females, 13 - 17 yo (e.g. KATZ, 2013; WOLAK, FINKELHOR & MITCHELL, 2004)

  victims r becoming younger (BARNARDOS, 2011)

  CHILDLINE (2015) 315111 counselling session, 15993 ft aspects of grooming

  LIVINGSTONE ET AL., 2010; BRYCE, 2008) btwn 4-24% of children met online strangers in person
• the role of the internet

  0.1% adult men like children, 2% like teenagers

  40 yrs ago, rlly hard to get indecent images of kids

  now, internet has made it affordable and anonymous for these ppl to explore their deviant sexual interests -> internet not a safe space

  SULER (2004) anonymity contributes to online disinhibition effect, ppl will experiment

  can facilitate interest in children through images, access to children and also allows offenders to talk to eo (DURKIN, 1997; BEECA, ELLIOT, BIRGDEN & FINDLATER, 2008)
• online grooming

  ELLIOT (2015)

  a series of explicit or implicit goal-directed beh that tgth share intention of preparing a target ind, where his/her compliance and/or submission is adv and/or necessary for the specific purpose of achieving an unlawful or exploitative goal
• the grooming process

  acquisition = someone targeting children quickly learns how to use the internet

  MALESKY (2007) deliberately enter chat rooms aimed for children, review online profiles and posts by kids to identify potential victims

  QUAYLE ET AL. (2014) rapid acquisition and how to target and approach kids. engage in mult interactions at once

  MALESKY (2007); QUAYLE ET AL. (2014) victim choice -> mention sex or sexually curious, look vulnerable, or 'sub' and young sounding screen names

  WOLAK ET AL. (2004) communicate w victims in a variety of ways
• grooming behs

  deception, rapport building, act like a mentor, claim a special connection (some gen believe this), risk assessment, incentives, explicit abt sex intent, exchange explicit material, treat act as a secret, blackmail, threats and coercion -> happens quickly once rapport built

  some evidence suggests strat vary, depends on offenders goals, fantasy or contact driven

  a lot of research comes from offender beh, problematic to research victims
• what sought to achieve and for who?

  increasing public scrutiny of police and handling of child grooming cases

  CEOP (2010) reports of grooming on the rise

  investigative 'ambiguities': ack to intro uncertainties in major investigations like homicides (INNES, 2002) and missing persons (FYFE ET AL., 2015)

  little research done on challenges police face during complex investigations

  whilst addressing this gap, insight gathered from front line officers, staff and specialist detectives to dev a toolkit that supports them
• research - series of academic research undertaken

  lit review - critical views that may affect knowledge/understanding

  survey on major challenges faced in child sexual investigations

  focus grp w force ctrl room staff

  critical incident decision, interviews w 6 specialist detectives, what they knew and didnt know

  immersive stimulation examining response to 3 grooming scenarios

  analysis of NFA (no further action) cases within Genesis that contain any grooming elements
• headline findings

  further awareness abt online grooming beneficial

  barriers to safeguarding -> e.g. effect on victim and family, gaining co-op

  timeliness of informed decision making -> first initial approach has to be done sensitively

  forensic, digital and internet awareness -> keeping officers up to date as they handle many cases
• TOG toolkit, 5 products

  TOG briefing kit, acronym and app

  G - gather info

  R - risk assess

  O - online or offline

  O - obtain advice

  M - make referrals

  mobile app and PDF aide memories

  force ctrl room guidance pages

  strategic online grooming review

  'what you need to know' technical bulletin