Know the Signs.
Know Your Next Step.

Understanding grooming, exploitation, and trafficking can help you recognize concerns early and find support.

What Is Grooming?

Is a process of building trust to manipulate, exploit, or abuse someone. It can begin with attention, gifts, friendship, or promises of love—online or in person.

The person may also gain the trust of family members.

Watch for secrecy, isolation, and pressure to cross boundaries.

What Is Exploitation?

Means taking advantage of another person for someone else’s benefit. It can involve sexual activity, images, labor, or services obtained through manipulation, pressure, or abuse of power.

It may happen within a relationship that feels loving or necessary.

No one owes another person access to their body or obedience in exchange for care.

What Is Trafficking?

Involves force, fraud, or coercion to compel someone into labor or commercial sex.

Any commercial sexual exploitation of a child under 18 is trafficking—even without force, fraud, or coercion. Commercial means something of value is exchanged.

Trafficking does not require kidnapping, travel, or crossing a border.

Tools for Families. Support for What Comes Next.