Self-Reports of Grooming Behaviors in Adult Men Who Sexually Abused a Child: Assessment and Treatment Considerations

Abstract

Grooming is the dynamic process a sexual offender engages in to gain access to and sexually assault a victim without detection. This study examined the grooming behaviors of adult males who sexually offended receiving community based specialized therapy. The results of the study suggest that over half of the participants used grooming strategies that included: grooming the environment, coercion, tricks, and bribes. However, there was wide discrepancy on reporting of grooming behavior when asked about general strategies versus specific behaviors. These results provide critical information to the existing knowledge base on the assessment and treatment of the population.