Can An Adult Be Groomed?

Yes, adults can be groomed. The grooming process is gradual and it can occur both in-person and online. Grooming may include the following steps or stages:

• Abusers target their victim

• Abusers gain the trust of the victim through gifts, flattery, sharing ‘secrets’, offers of friendship, special privileges, displaying common interests etc.

• Abusers may attempt to identify and fill a need in their victim with the goal of convincing the victim that the abuser is the only person who can meet that need

• Abusers may try to isolate the victim from loved ones or their support system by creating a secretive dynamic

• It is important to note that when an abuser grooms a victim, the groomer’s intent is not relevant when we consider the impact on the victim

Once these actions have been employed, the target is highly susceptible to abuse.

The abuser will diligently work to maintain control of the victim through a variety of tactics (e.g., emotional blackmail, shame, threats of violence, violence).

Campaign Against Adult Grooming. (2021). What is adult grooming? CAAGe. Retrieved from www.caage.org

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). (2018). Understanding Adult Vulnerability: What Makes Adults Vulnerable. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Retrieved from www.snapnetwork.org