Grooming is where adults use fake online identities to befriend children, teenagers and young adults in order to gain their trust- so that they can approach them sexually.
This can be in a chat room, message board or forum, on social networking sites or through apps - even through computer games or consoles which allow public multiplayer interactions. Sometimes it can involve sexual or offensive chat, over text, messages or webcam. Sometimes, there may be a request to meet up in real life.
If you are experiencing online abuse or someone is behaving inappropriately - sending inappropriate images, asking too many personal questions, or asking to meet up - you can report this to the police at 101 (to report the incident to Avon and Somerset Police) or if you have received immediate threats to your safety, please phone 999.
You can report any bad behaviour online, whether you’re suffering from it or are worried about a friend, at the CEOP website, by clicking the eye icon in the top right hand corner of the website. To visit the website, click here
