While the Internet has provided numerous positive opportunities for networking and connection, its borderless nature has also posed significant challenges, including Online Grooming. This study aims to elucidate initiatives for safeguarding minors online and enhance protective measures, by exploring the phenomenon of Online Grooming. It will focus on the characteristics of Online Grooming, victim dynamics, combating measures, and cross-sectoral collaboration within a Danish context. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted across sectors with 13 professionals selected based on their expertise in either the age group (12-15 years) or the concept of Online Grooming. Thematic analysis was applied in order to obtain a thorough understanding of the phenomenon, and guided by the theoretical frameworks of Routine Activity theory and Shattered Assumptions theory. The empirical findings of this study provided insights to the characteristics of modus operandi and the consequences hereof. Furthermore, the empirical findings of this study revealed correlation between personal vulnerability factors and the characteristics of the age group as risk factors for victimization. This study also underscored a need for an improved systematized and formalized collaboration across sectors to effectively combat Online Grooming, while also cautiously considering the focus of the preventative and reactive initiatives. Finally, the results indicated an emphasis on parental collaboration and involvement as a part of the protective measures. This study and its findings contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of Online Grooming, which can be of relevance for policy implications in continuing the protection of minors online.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-68416 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Christiansen, Melanie Aviles Morales, Phillips, Aviaja |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för hälsa och samhälle (HS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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