History of grooming ABRIDGED
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2025 9:19 pm
Interesting thread regarding the “grooming gangs”. I found the first tweets interesting, which go over how the concept began: https://xcancel.com/docrussjackson/stat ... 0266147842
The juiciest part is this:
The juiciest part is this:
At this point, it’s undeniable that ‘grooming’ in this context has largely came to replace seduction when it was supplanted by investigative forces, and has now largely supplanted in cases that would largely be chalked off as ‘seduction’ and exchanging favours. In other words, ‘grooming’ is the pathologisation of normal behaviour via thought-termination cliche.Intended to replace the term 'child prostitution', which implies a level of consent, CSE is a form of child sexual abuse in which children are offered something—eg money, drugs, alcohol, food, a place to stay, or even just affection—in exchange for sexual activity.
CSE includes 'online grooming' & 'localised grooming', formerly known as 'on-street grooming'.
'Localised grooming' involves a group of abusers targeting vulnerable children in a public place, offering them sweets, alcohol, drugs or takeaway food etc in exchange for sex.
The targets can include children in the care of the local authority, as in Rotherham.
Adele Gladman & Angie Heal, argued that describing vaginal, oral & anal rape, murder & attempted murder as "exploitation" does not help people understand the seriousness of the crimes.
A news search shows that the term “grooming gangs” was potentially coined & first used in a UK newspaper, by Rupert Murdoch's Sun on January 6, 2011, in an article titled: 'How to spot if your child is victim of a sex gang; UK TRAFFICKING HORROR.'