Chilean Campaign to Prevent Child Grooming Goes Viral · Global Voices
Global Voices Latin America

The Chilean Police campaign against grooming, in which adults earn the trust of minors online to later abuse them, has already reached more than 5 million views. It has become a success going way beyond the borders of the South American country, according to Verne website.
The video was published on Facebook to raise awareness among young people. It tells the story of a teenage girl who sets up a date with a guy she met on a social network. The man, who has been asking her for “sexy” pictures is older than she imagined. The video leads to think the girl was abused.
Augusto Schuster, a very popular Chilean teen actor and singer with a base of 270,000 Twitter followers, was part of the campaign. At the end of the video, which is also available on YouTube, Schuster questions kids: “How many of your social network friends do you really know? Grooming is not a game. It is abuse. Remember that on Internet, the pictures are not only yours, they belong to everyone.”
Groomers pretend to be teenagers to take advantage of minors on social networks, wining their trust little by little, then asking them for intimate images, or setting up meetings that can end up in sexual abuse. Besides the video, the Chilean campaign offers tips — and even a test — to help kids recognize dangerous behavior. Verne adds that the police are promoting the hashtag #todoscontraelgrooming (everyone against grooming).
Self-evaluation: Am I exposed to grooming?
1. I have a profile in more than one social network.
2. I have more than 250 friends on Facebook.
3. I have accepted friendships requests from people I don't know.
4. I have established strong ties with people I never met in person.
5. I have dated people I have never met on real life.
6. Have spoken on a webcam with strangers.
7. I have set up dates with people I met online.
8. I have taken pictures of myself on my underwear.
9. I have taken pictures of intimate parts of my body.
10. I have been asked to strip infront of a webcam or send intimate pictures.
11. I have been forced to send intimate pictures.
If you have answered YES to the questions:
1-5 You are vulnerable to be contacted by a groomer
6-8 You have probably been contacted by a groomer and you are at risk.
9-11 You have been a grooming victim.