Universal Journal of Psychology 1(2): 59-71, 2013 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujp.2013.010206 Victims’ Voices: The Impact of Online Grooming and Sexual Abuse Helen C. Whittle 1,2,* , Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis 1 , Anthony R. Beech 1 1 School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK 2 CEOP, 33, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Pimlico, London, SW1V 2WG UK *Corresponding Author: helen.whittle@ceop.gsi.gov.uk Copyright © 2013 Horizon Research Publishing All rights reserved. Abstract This paper reports one of the first studies to identify the impact on the victim of online grooming leading to online and/or offline sexual abuse. Eight young people (six females and two males) who had been victimised through online grooming and subsequently experienced sexual abuse online and/or offline were interviewed. Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the data. The impact of sexual abuse on the young person appears to be correlated with their level of vulnerability prior to the onset of grooming and also their experience with professionals following abuse. Most notably, those experiencing multiple long-term risk factors suffered greater negative impact after the grooming and abuse on an individual level (e.g., self-harm, depression), compared to those who had more protection. However, these individuals were also more likely to experience unsupportive and negative responses from their families. Therefore future research is required to further investigate this relationship. There is no evidence in this study to suggest that young people who are abused via the Internet suffer less harm than those who are abused offline. Based on the victim’s direct experience of the services, recommendations are given for police, ABE (Achieving Best Evidence) interviewers, educationalists, and parents and carers. Keywords Online Grooming, Victims, Child Sexual Abuse, Abuse Impact, Vulnerability 1. Introduction The online grooming of children for the purpose of online and offline sexual abuse is a global problem that requires continued attention within research and practice [1-3]. Grooming (whether online or offline) can be defined as, “A process by which a person prepares a child, significant adults and the environment for the abuse of this child.” [4]There is increasing awareness of the need to evaluate this phenomenon and, whilst some work is beginning to consider the risk and protective factors for online grooming and abuse [5], it is also important to consider the potential impact on young people of such abuse. Child sexual abuse can be defined as, “forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening” [6]. The impact of offline sexual abuse on a child or young person has been extensively studied and there are a range of potential consequences of child sexual abuse [7,8]. Among others, these include relationship difficulties [9,10], post-traumatic stress disorder [11], mood disorders [12,13]and self-destructive-behaviour [14,15,16]. It is important to note, however, that the impact of abuse on each victim is unique and many victims demonstrate considerable resilience when dealing with the impact of sexual abuse. Whether a victim experiences a particular problem or not is a result of complex interactions between a number of factors; these include how the individual victim makes sense of the abuse, the nature of the abuse, and the reactions and support given to the victim following abuse and other life experiences [7,17].Behaviours and coping strategies are often functional at the time of the maltreatment and only become dysfunctional when the immediate threat is removed (e.g. avoidant coping) [18]. In addition, many young people who have been abused experience multiple occurrences of victimization [19-22] and these young people are considerably more likely to experience psychological distress and trauma following abuse, than those who have experienced a single incident of abuse or no abuse at all [23,]. Sexual abuse which takes place online may include a child or young person being groomed and incited to engage in sexual activity; this can include sexual chat, generating sexual photos and/or generating sexual videos. They may also (but not necessarily) be encouraged to meet up offline. Victims of internet sexual abuse struggle with additional complexities (such as, having been in their own home, the possibility of the images being distributed online and the permanence of this) when dealing with the impact of abuse, and there is a need to challenge the presumption that victims of non-contact internet abuse suffer less harm than those who