When you talk about grooming, it’s natural to think about personal hygiene and self-care.
Something that teaches anyone to take pride in their appearance, and to present themselves in a socially acceptable way.
This can lead to better self-esteem and confidence, which can be a great advantage in life.
However, today I want to delve deep into a sensitive and controversial subject – grooming.
I came across a clip on Twitter shared by Elston, a Canadian activist known as "Billboard Chris," on Twitter, that could easily be interpreted in a myriad of ways, depending on your views and beliefs.
The video was created by TikToker James Rose, also known as jamesissmiling, to encourage young gender-fluid and non-binary trans kids to talk about the issues they face.
In the clip, they said, “Dear Trans kids, I love you. And I wanna talk...”
The 27-year-old in the video brings up some issues that they have faced as a person who identifies as gender-fluid.
She describes the difficulties of navigating societal norms and expectations after having to deal with insecurities and self-doubt about their identity and appearance. More importantly, in their opinion, she is providing a haven for those who feel like they need a safe space.
He wants to talk to your kids, and tell them he loves them. pic.twitter.com/BhtS8uS8AB
— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) March 16, 2023
In a now-deleted stitched video on TikTok raised a few concerns about how this is a slippery slope and this could be interpreted as grooming for sexual perversions.
Grooming is defined as a process where a person builds a relationship with a child, often online, with the intent of exploiting them sexually or otherwise.
It is a serious issue that has been on the rise, especially with the increasing use of social media platforms, and it can have devastating consequences.
We cannot deny that social media, however integral in modern life, can have a darker side. Predators often pretend to be caring adults, earning the trust of their prey, and gradually introducing them to sexual and other types of exploitation.
@jamesissmiling Dear Trans Kids: I love you. #trans #nonbinary #genderfluid #protecttranskids #protecttransyouth #transchildrenmatter #transrightsarehumanrights ♬ original sound - jamesissmiling
Although James may have shared the video intentionally to assist people like her in finding their feet, situations involving children are always to be handled in a delicate manner.
Sadly, the statistics on grooming are shocking. In the US, statistics show that grooming is on the rise. Many cases involve the use of social media platforms, which provide easy access to children and anonymity for predators.
In the US alone, approximately one in seven young people have received unwanted sexual attention online.
Though there is little to no evidence of such incidents, South Africa is known to have one of the highest rates of rape in the world. Crime statistics show that there were 7 749 sexual assaults and 42 289 rapes registered in 2019/2020.
These cases have resulted in serious mental and emotional scars for the victims, leading to depression, PTSD, self-harm, and even suicide.
As we all know that nothing is ever as it seems on social media, everyone is there for different reasons and those who are predatory use relatable language, belonging to community tactics to manipulate and persuade their victims into sexual acts.
Perverts sometimes will often befriend children online or in person, giving them gifts or attention until naively the child trusts them enough to meet in private. We all know this can lead to devastating consequences, both for the child and for their families.
On the one hand, while people like James exist for genuine reasons online, especially when it involves education that aims to protect children from harm, it can easily unravel and take a darker side.
With the increasing prevalence of such content online, it's important for parents, teachers, and the community to work together to provide education and resources to protect children from online predators.
It is crucial that parents and guardians speak to their children about the potential dangers of online interactions, monitor their activity, and report any suspicious behaviour to the authorities. Only then can we hope to deter online grooming and protect children from harm.
The sad reality is that not everyone who claims to be protecting our children has good intentions. Anyone can use social media to sexually exploit underage girls under the guise of promoting women's rights and gender equality.
It is important to maintain an open dialogue with our children and to teach them how to recognise warning signs of grooming. In short, we must also take steps to protect them from anyone who may use such tactics. By staying informed and vigilant, we can ensure our children's safety and well-being.