Beware of Child Grooming in Peer Relationships: IDAI Reveals the Tactics

The Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) has issued a serious warning regarding the threat of child grooming crimes, which are no longer limited to adults but are increasingly occurring within peer relationships among children and adolescents. This phenomenon often escapes parental monitoring because it is perceived as ordinary friendships.

Dr. dr. Ariani, Sp.A, Subsp.T.K.P.S(K), M. Kes, a member of IDAI’s Working Unit for Growth and Development Coordination and Social Paediatrics, explained that child grooming involves psychological manipulation to sexually exploit victims by building trust and emotional bonds.

“This often goes unnoticed by parental monitoring because it is seen as just ordinary friends. However, this action can be carried out by adolescents who are slightly older, such as relationships between junior high school students and senior high school students or elementary school students and junior high school students,” said Ariani, quoted on Monday (6/4).

According to Ariani, the core of this crime is power imbalance. Perpetrators exploit dominance in age, experience, or economic conditions to make victims emotionally dependent. Victims who crave praise and recognition tend to fall easily into the perpetrator’s tricks.

Here is a summary of the characteristics and tactics of child grooming in peer relationships:

In the digital era, this tactic is evolving further through teenage romantic relationships or dating. Ariani gave an example of a case where the perpetrator asks for personal (vulgar) photos under the pretext of proving love. After obtaining those photos, the perpetrator threatens to distribute them to pressure the victim into complying with the perpetrator’s wishes, including physical sexual violence.

“Perpetrators can be male or female. Although in many cases the perpetrator is much older, this trend in peer relationships must be heeded because the process is very subtle,” she added.

As a preventive measure, IDAI emphasises the importance of educating children about healthy relationships from an early age. Parents are urged to be more sensitive to their children’s circle of friends, especially if the child begins to have close relationships with older classmates or online friends who are older.

With proper supervision and open communication, it is hoped that children can avoid the trap of child grooming that can ruin their future.