Chicago Tribune

Commentary: 5 strategies to protect children from 'grooming' by sexual predators

When secrets are about surprises, surprises that are meant to make someone happy such as planning a surprise party, they are harmless and can bring joy.

But secrets can be very dangerous for a child. A predator can trap a child in a sticky web of secrets through duplicity, pressure and manipulation - part of a process called "grooming." A child who keeps these secrets, becoming a victim of abuse, will often suffer a lifetime of emotional damage.

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