Characteristics of victim behavior of adolescents in cybergrooming situation

Context and relevance. Online sexual harassment continues to pose a threat to children and adolescents. It is provoked not only by the criminal intentions of the perpetrators, but also by the careless online activity of minors themselves. Objective. It is important to identify and describe the characteristics of victimized behavior depending on the age and gender of its subjects, to understand who is most vulnerable to sexual abuse on the Internet. Hypothesis. In each age period, boys and girls have specific characteristics of responding to the situation of cybergrooming. Methods and materials. A content analysis of Internet correspondence between 105 offenders and 205 boys and girls aged 8 to 16 years was carried out. Results. The dynamics of interaction between communicants are revealed with an emphasis on the readiness of minors for it. The predominant vulnerability of children and adolescents to grooming has been established (almost 70% of the sample). A portrait of victimization among representatives of three age groups was compiled, taking into account their gender. The greatest gullibility and lack of understanding of the essence of manipulations is demonstrated by children aged 8—10 years old, involvement in the discussion of sexual topics and sexting is demonstrated by girls aged 11—13 years old, and an orientation toward transferring communication to the offline environment is demonstrated by boys aged 14—16 years old. Conclusions. It is proposed to take into account the identified characteristics of victimization in practical activities.

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