MURDERED: Kelly Anne Bates

According to the NSPCC, grooming is "when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them." Any child is vulnerable to being groomed and any adult can become the groomer, no matter their age, sex or race. In addition to grooming the child, the individual may also become familiar with the child's family, in order to acquire more of the child's trust. With the birth of social media, grooming has become a lot easier to do as individuals can now groom a child online as well as in person. When a child is being groomed online, it's likely they have no idea who they are talking to, with the abuser typically portraying themselves to be the same age as the victim. Groomers will use different tactics in order to gain the child's trust, including pretending to be younger, buying them gifts, giving them advice and attention and taking them on trips or holidays. If a child has become more secretive about their online presence or how they're spending their time, has an older partner, has money or new items that they're unable to explain, begin underage drinking or taking drugs, begin to appear distressed and withdrawn and start to exhibit sexualised behaviour, it's possible that they are being groomed without being aware of what's happening to them. To access Crimestoppers online form, go to https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously. Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's podcast promo is It's Murder up North.. Music: Atmospheric Piano Backing and Beautiful Piano Theme, https://purple-planet.com.