My Secure Cyberspace: Online Grooming Demonstration

This nine-minute video shows a fictional example of how an online predator gradually earns the trust. In the classroom, teachers can encourage their students to read it aloud as they act out the characters.
Teachers, The video is divided into 7 segments of a chat log between 2 people. The segments are separated by time cues (a month later, etc).
1. Select up to 14 students (7 pairs) to help with the demonstration.
2. Assign a pair to each of the 7 segments.
3. For each segment, the pair will act out the characters and read aloud the chat log to the class.
4. After each segment, pause the video. Discuss: What just happened? Were there any signs of online grooming? Were there any points where the victim shared too much personal information? Were there any other actions that took place that put the victim at risk?
If you have other ideas for using this video in the classroom, please share them.

[@sayakafermi5725]

This video gives a distorted view of what typical “grooming” looks like, as the following passage shows.
"The research about Internet-initiated sex crimes makes it clear that the stereotype of the Internet child molester who uses trickery and violence to assault children is largely inaccurate. [...] In the great majority of cases, victims [sic] are aware they are conversing online with adults. In the N-JOV Study, only 5% of offenders pretended to be teens when they met potential victims [sic] online. [...] Also, offenders rarely deceive victims [sic] about their sexual interests. Sex is usually broached online, and most victims [sic] who meet offenders face to face go to such meetings expecting to engage in sexual activity. Many victims [sic] profess love or close feelings for offenders. In the N-JOV Study, 73% of victims [sic] who had face-to-face sexual encounters with offenders did so more than once… Most offenders are charged with crimes, such as statutory rape, that involve nonforcible sexual activity.”
-- Wolak, Janis; Finkelhor, David; Mitchell, Kimberly J.; and Ybarra, Michele L. (2008). "Online 'predators' and their victims [sic]: Myths, realities, and implications for prevention and treatment," American Psychologist, 63(2), 111-128
www.apa.org/journals/releases/amp632111.pdf
That the term victims deserves scare quotes here is illustrated by another study.
Helen C. Whittle et al., “Victims’ Voices: The Impact of Online Grooming and Sexual Abuse” www.hrpub.org/download/201308/ujp.2013.010206.pdf
In this paper, not a single one of the eight “victims” has a single negative thing to say about anything they experienced during the relationship, and most of the “negative impacts of abuse” are clearly consequences of other people’s negative reaction rather than the relationship itself. At least one “victim” is described as still being resentful toward police for having interfered.

[@alkhiljohn7640]

To be honest, this is just a matter of common sense. You get 13 year olds with some, and some with none.

[@asleeponmykeyboard3039]

Even for 2010, this looks way too outdated.

[@LuKaOnYT]

I know right

[@honeyfen1]

not the lil wayne 😭

[@AlexJohnson-pq5yj]

i had to do this for school lol

[@ApplePie2luv]

@inicmu Good to know, it felt very real though. Sneaky and good simulation then!

[@acaciapistachio7202]

the hell is this lmao i have an iphone so like

[@NeriBerryz]

Lol played runescape for 5 years

[@nicolecherry9203]

Yeah

[@happydays7989]

I am fiiiirrrrssssstttttt!

[@jrs428]

lol