Chicago Tribune

Commentary: 5 strategies to protect children from 'grooming' by sexual predators

When secrets are about surprises, surprises that are meant to make someone happy such as planning a surprise party, they are harmless and can bring joy.

But secrets can be very dangerous for a child. A predator can trap a child in a sticky web of secrets through duplicity, pressure and manipulation - part of a process called "grooming." A child who keeps these secrets, becoming a victim of abuse, will often suffer a lifetime of emotional damage.

The recent broadcast of the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune3 min readInternational Relations
Tensions Flare Between DePaul Pro-Palestine Encampment And Counterprotesters
A group of about 60 people organized by the Chicago Jewish Alliance gathered at Fullerton and Seminary avenues Sunday morning in response to an encampment set up Tuesday at DePaul University to protest the war in Gaza. Members of Chabad Lincoln Park,
Chicago Tribune17 min read
Breastfeeding Moms Sent Naked Photos, Videos To Purported Lactation Consultant On Facebook. Now They Fear It Was A Scam.
CHICAGO — Sleep-deprived and anxious about feeding their babies, tens of thousands of moms in Illinois and elsewhere recently turned to a variety of Facebook groups offering support for breastfeeding, pumping breast milk and postpartum care. Direct r
Chicago Tribune3 min read
Editorial: Wait, How Much For A Latte? Even High-flying Starbucks Is Suffering
The U.S. consumer is increasingly tapped out, and the effects are being felt in even the strongest, most resilient brands out there. Exhibit A is Starbucks. The Seattle-based coffee chain, ubiquitous in the U.S. and increasingly a truly global franch

Related