Victimization of Minors in the Process of Cybergrooming: Gender and Psychosexual Specificity

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Abstract

Addressing the problem of sexual harassment of children and adolescents in online communication (cybergrooming) requires in-depth study. Gender and psychosexual aspects of victimization of victims are of particular importance for preventive work. The article presents the results of content analysis of dialogues between 35 cybergroomers and 94 minors, realized on the Internet. The gender and age structure of the victims is 54 girls and 40 boys from 9 to 16 years old. It was found that depending on the gender and sexual identity of the child, as well as their own criminal goals, the groomers use different tactics of manipulative influence. Boys are significantly more likely to exhibit sexual motive when interacting with abusers, as well as greater victimization (p=0.000). Girls are predominantly oriented towards neutral and friendly interactions and do not allow it to go beyond these limits (p=0.000). It is concluded that prevention of victimization of minors involved in cybergrooming should include the development of skills to assert personal boundaries and critical attitude towards online interlocutors.

General Information

Keywords: cybergrooming, Internet, child victims, boys, girls, victimization, gender specificity, psychosexual aspect

Journal rubric: Legal Psychology of Childhood

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2023130407

Received: 29.08.2023

Accepted:

For citation: Medvedeva A.S. Victimization of Minors in the Process of Cybergrooming: Gender and Psychosexual Specificity [Elektronnyi resurs]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2023. Vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 83–94. DOI: 10.17759/psylaw.2023130407. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Nutskova E.V., Dozortseva E.G. Kliniko-psikhologicheskie osobennosti nesovershennoletnikh, poterpevshikh ot kibergruminga [Clinical and Psychological Features of Minor Victims of Cybergrooming] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, Vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 66–76. doi:10.17759/psylaw.2022120306 (In Russ.).

Information About the Authors

Anna S. Medvedeva, PhD in Psychology, Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Psychology of Child and Adolescence, V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Lead Forensic Expert, North-Western Regional Center of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of Russia, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0921-588X, e-mail: 98765_89@mail.ru

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