Grooming Explained (with Anna Sonoda)

This is the grooming conversation that all parents need to listen to. Anna Sonoda, LCSW, corrects misconceptions about grooming and educates parents on how to prepare, prevent and protect our children from predators (both online and offline).

Anna Sonoda, LCSW, graduated from Emory University with a double major in anthropology and French Studies before earning her master’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia in 2006. She became a licensed clinical social worker in 2009.

Anna's clinical background includes residential mental health, outpatient anger management, domestic violence intervention, and dual diagnosis treatment. Her most significant work was as a cognitive behavioral therapist for convicted sexual offenders. Becoming a mother of five deepened her commitment to child protection and the importance of recognizing grooming behaviors in adults.

In December 2022, she published Duck Duck Groom: Understanding How a Child Becomes a Target, which unpacks the complexities of this issue. In August 2024, she released an accompanying journal Duck Duck Groom: A Guided Journal for survivors. Anna presents to individuals, groups, and organizations about how adults can better protect children by identifying the signs of grooming.

Connect with Anna on her website.

Resources mentioned in the episode or provided by Anna:

• atsa.org
• Cyber Tipline by NCMEC
• Internet Watch Foundation
• Internet Matters
• Hope for Justice
• Human Trafficking Front
• ChildHelp
• Common Sense Media

Gaming Sites where grooming is prevalent:

• Among Us
• Call of Duty
• Grand Theft Auto
• Minecraft
• Nintendo Switch
• Roblox
• Slithr.io

Dating Apps where grooming is prevalent:

• Bumble
• Grindr
• OnlyFans
• Tinder

Messaging Apps where grooming is prevalent:

• Google Hangout/Meet
• Kik
• Marco Polo
• Facebook Messenger
• Signal
• Slack
• Telegram
• WhatsApp
• Wickr

Live Stream + Social Media Platforms where grooming is prevalent:

• Amino
• Byte
• Discord
• Facebook
• Houseparty
• Instagram
• Monkey
• Pinterest
• Reddit
• Snapchat
• Tagged
• Tiktok
• Triller
• Tumble
• Twitch
• Twitter
• VSCO
• Whisper
• Wink
• Wishbone
• Younow
• YouTube

Predators run on G.A.S. ( Grooming, Access, and Space)

Grooming:

Flattery

Favoritism

Forbidden Fruits

Fear

Prevention:

Permission

Public use

Private settings

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