Estrategias de acercamiento de los acosadores sexuales de menores <i>online</i> a sus víctimas

Online child grooming, a highly alarming form of cybercrime, generates significant social concern and causes severe psychological harm to victims, even when no physical abuse occurs. Despite this, empirical studies based on police data are scarce, particularly in Spain. This study anonymously analysed data from Spain's two major law enforcement agencies, examining 65 police reports on online child sexual harassment between 2012 and 2020. The research examined the available online conversations between offenders and their victims. The main objective was to identify the potential interaction patterns and grooming strategies that offenders use with victims. Additionally, differences among offenders were evaluated based on their intent: either to obtain sexual material from the minor or to arrange a physical meeting. The results revealed no statistically significant differences, regardless of the offender's intent. However, specific interaction patterns were used more frequently depending on the offender’s goals. Offenders displayed a wide range of strategies to engage with minors.