Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Julie Lindahl

Abstract

Social media sites, gaming platforms, and online communication tools have been integrated into children’s everyday lives. This has created a new avenue for child predators to identify, communicate, and victimize children. Just as the internet and the ability to communicate online have evolved, predatory grooming behavior has evolved as well. This qualitative study aimed to identify predatory grooming themes and the thematic stage progression for online male offenders who target child victims using online chat rooms. O’Connell’s typology of cyber sexploitation and online grooming practices was used to explore online child predators’ grooming themes and stage progression. Nine male Wisconsin offender chat logs were obtained from the Perverted Justice website. Thematic analysis was applied to each chat log to identify predatory grooming themes and stage progression. Further analysis was conducted using NVivo software. Four themes were identified: (a) establishing a relationship, (b) sexual exploration, (c) arranging a meeting, and (d) risk mitigation. These themes did not occur in a vacuum but were employed by offenders in a fluid and dynamic fashion, and offenders appeared to exhibit contact-driven characteristics. The results of this study could promote positive social change by adding to the current literature and advancing law enforcement and public education.

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

 
COinS