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Stockholm Syndrome and grooming: Is it
the same or is it different? The Social
Work Practice Implications
Dr Shirley Jülich
Dr Eileen Oak
Overview
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Stockholm Syndrome
Grooming
Comparison of Stockholm Syndrome and Grooming
The subliminal messages
Exploitation of vulnerability and use of opportunity
Pseudo-agency
Implications for social work practice
Terminology
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Victim denotes a victim of child sexual abuse
Survivor denotes a participant in my research
Abuser denotes a male or female perpetrator of CSA
Bystanders (Herman, 1997) are family members or close
family friends subjected to the complex family dynamics
• Outsiders (Graham, 1994) are those not subjected to the
family dynamics
The Puzzle
• Assumed that child victims unable to report abuse
because of:
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Lack of voice
Lack of power
Position in the family
Inability to frame experience as abusive
• But these are not the only reasons
• If they were then as adults victims would disclose/report
to an authority
• They don’t, survivors remained extraordinarily loyal and
silent (Julich, 2001)
Possible Answers:
Theories
• Attachment theories (Bowlby’s work)
• Child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (Roland
Summit’s work)
• But none of these explain why survivors persist in
maintaining the “Conspiracy of Silence”
Stockholm Syndrome and
Child Sexual Abuse
• Accepted that hostages can develop Stockholm
syndrome
• Children not typically thought of as hostages – can be
victims and be held captive (psychologically)
• Children particularly those subjected to an ongoing
sexually abusive relationship, are very vulnerable to
Stockholm syndrome
Precursors for Stockholm
Syndrome
• Perceived threat to survival and belief the abuser if
willing to carry out that threat
• Victim’s perception of some small kindness from the
abuser within a context of terror
• Isolation from perspectives other than those of the
abuser
• Perceived inability to escape
(Graham et al. 1994; Julich, 2001)
Overview of Grooming
• “[G]rooming … is the steps taken by paedophiles to
‘entrap’ their victims and is in some way analogous to
adult courtship” (Howitt, 1995, p. 176).
• Three stages of grooming
1. Self grooming
2. Grooming the environment and significant others
3. Grooming the child
• Grooming can take 7 to 8 years
• Cyber grooming
Subliminal Messages:
Stockholm Syndrome
• Cognitive distortions compel victims to:
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Have narrowed perceptions
They don’t see themselves as abused
Minimise and rationalise the abuse
Self-blame
See the abuser as good, themselves as bad
See violence as a sign of caring and love
See small kindnesses as large kindnesses
Believe they love the abuser
Believe abusers will come back and “get them” (Graham et al.,
1994, p. 44)
Subliminal Messages:
Grooming
• Grooming would say:
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Victims feel they are to blame
They are bound to the abuser through secrecy
The abuser is the only one who understands them
Feel that the abuser treats them like a grownup
In some cases want to “protect” the abuser
(Corby, 2006)
Exploitation of Vulnerability
and
Use of Opportunity
• Both Stockholm syndrome and Grooming
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target isolated potential victims
use coercion and kindness (carrot and stick approach)
focus on isolating the victim from social networks
pretend to develop victims’ autonomy and agency
develop a bi-directional bond
• Grooming targets vulnerable children
• Stockholm syndrome theorists would argue that anyone
subjected to the 4 precursors are at risk of developing
Stockholm syndrome
Pseudo-Agency
• Victim feels they are in control and making informed
decisions about the relationship
• Fail to see the relationship as abusive
• Development of pseudo-agency a popular grooming
tactic with young victims (Conte & Wolf , 1989)
Implications for Practice
• Victims will be in varying stages of the recovery process
• Will appear ambivalent and possibly contradictory – tell
their story then recant
• Access to an independent support person of their choice
• Need to be aware that this support person could be
subjected to influence of Stockholm Syndrome or
Grooming
• Victims may not be confident that family members
(bystanders) or professionals (outsiders) can contribute
objectively
References
Anderson, J., Martin, J., Mullen, P., Romans, S., and Herbison, P. (1993). “Prevalence of childhood sexual abuse experiences in
a community sample of women.” Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry 32: 911-19.
Easteal, P. W. (1994). Survivors of sexual assault: an Australian survey. International Journal of the Sociology of Law 22: 329-54.
Conte, J. R., & Wolf, S. (1989). What sexual offenders tell us about prevention strategies. Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 293-301.
Corby, B. (2006). Child Abuse. McGraw-Hill:
Goddard, Chris, and Joe Tucci. (1991). Child protection and the need for the reappraisal of the social worker-client relationship.
Australian Social Work 44: 3-10.
Graham, Dee L. R., Edna I. Rawlings, and Roberta K. Rigsby. (1994). Loving to Survive: Sexual Terror, Men's Violence and
Women's Lives. New York: New York University Press.
Herman, Judith Lewis. (1997). Trauma and recovery. London: Basic Books.
Howitt, D. (1995). Paedophiles and sexual offences against children. Oxford, UK: John Wiley and Sons.
Jülich, S. J. (2001). Breaking the silence: Restorative justice and child sexual abuse. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, Massey
University, Albany.
Jülich, S. J. (2005). Stockholm syndrome and child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 14(3), 107-129.
Kerwin, A. (2006). Messing with their minds. In New Frontiers in Restorative Justice: Advancing Theory and Practice (pp. -188).
Auckland: Centre for Justice and Peace Development, Massey University.
Mayhew, P., & Reilly, J. (2006). New Zealand crime & safety survey . Wellington: Ministry of Justice.
Van Dan, C. (2001). Identifying child molesters: Preventing child sexual abuse by recognizing the patterns of the offenders.
Binghamton, NY: The Hawforth Maltreatment and Trauma Press