Online grooming among Portuguese adolescents and the COVID-19 lockdown: Relationship with other types of victimization

Background: Online grooming is the sexual solicitations and interactions between an adult and a minor, aiming to sexually abuse or obtain sexual material for the sexual satisfaction of themselves or others. Experiencing victimization during childhood or adolescence increases the probability of exposure to other types of victimization. Objectives: This study analyses the relationship between grooming, other types of juvenile victimization, and consensual sexting. We compare victims and non-victims of online grooming concerning sexting, sextortion, juvenile victimization, and online parental control. We also aim to identify the prevalence of online grooming in the present sample during and after the COVID-19 pandemic confinement and the impact of other types of juvenile victimization on grooming. Participants: The sample comprised 106 Portuguese adolescents (57 boys and 49 girls) aged 12 to 15. Method: Participants answered the sociodemographic questionnaire that contemplates online parental control and sextortion items, the Questionnaire for Online Sexual Solicitations and Interactions with Adults, the Sexting Questionnaire, and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Results: The results showed a positive correlation between online grooming, juvenile victimization, and sexting, as well as statistically significant differences between victims and non-victims of online grooming. Victims showed higher levels of sexting, sextortion, and other juvenile victimization. It also revealed higher levels of sexting and online grooming during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Predictive validity showed that peer/sibling victimization and sexual victimization predicted online grooming. Conclusions: This study promotes a better understanding of online grooming by exploring the association between different types of victimization.