We are now releasing the Grooming Generator!

6 out of 10 parents worry about their children being groomed online

6 out of 10 parents worry about their children being groomed for sexual purposes online. At the same time, there has been a sharp increase in the number of reported grooming cases. To raise awareness of the problem, ChildX and Tele2 are launching the Grooming Generator, a digital tool where the participant receives messages similar to a real grooming conversation.

– The grooming generator gives us adults a direct insight into how it feels to be groomed. The experience may be unpleasant, but it is crucial for us to understand how manipulative these processes are and how we can better protect children,” said Ida Östensson, Secretary General of ChildX.

Grooming is a concern for many parents, according to a new Novus survey commissioned by ChildX. Six out of ten parents say they worry about their children being groomed for sexual purposes online. New statistics also show that one in three young people (32%) have been contacted online and asked to send nude photos or videos to friends or strangers.

– It takes an average of 45 minutes for an offender to groom a child in an online gaming environment. It’s like a half of football or an episode of a reality show. “Perpetrators use new methods all the time – and adults need to keep up to protect their children,” says Ida Östensson.

That’s why today, the children’s rights organization ChildX, in collaboration with Tele2, is launching the Grooming Generator – a digital tool where adults can experience grooming for themselves. The tools are a simulated experience where the participant receives messages similar to a real grooming conversation. The conversation starts innocently but quickly becomes more intrusive, just as it is for children in real life.

– We know that technology can be used to both exploit and protect children. With the Grooming Generator, we want to give parents and adults the knowledge and tools they need to take action,” Erik Wottrich, Head of Sustainability at Tele2.

The number of reported cases of grooming for sexual purposes has increased significantly in recent years. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of reported grooming cases increased by over 300% internationally according to the National center for missing and exploited children.

Try the Grooming Generator here.