Logo courtesy of Placer County District Attorney 

ROSEVILLE, CA (MPG) - This January, during Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Placer County Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center (MDIC) is excited to launch their new prevention campaign, “Guard Against the Groom(ing)” – a countywide effort to help parents and caregivers recognize, stop and prevent the grooming behaviors that often lead to child exploitation and human trafficking.

While many may picture trafficking as a stranger abducting a child from a park or a dark alley, those who work in the field with trafficking victims know that the reality looks very different. Most trafficking cases begin not with kidnapping, but with grooming – a carefully orchestrated process predators use to build trust, isolate and manipulate minors before exploiting them online or in person.

The Guard Against the Groom(ing) campaign includes parent resources, opportunities for training and downloadable materials available through Placer Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center, Placer County District Attorney’s Office, and Placer County Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center community-based partners.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of online enticement have risen more than 80 percent since 2020, and in more than 90 percent of cases, predators first contact minors through everyday apps like Snapchat, Instagram, or gaming platforms. 

Apps that many unsuspecting teens and adolescents have on their phones to communicate with friends. Many victims report being coerced or deceived into sharing explicit content and/or meeting in person. Shared images and content are frequently utilized to control minors and submit them to their trafficker’s will. 

“We’re seeing more and more cases where grooming starts through a screen – not in a park or a playground, but right inside a child’s bedroom,” said Jessica Waterford, Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center coordinator for the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. “Predators are using the same apps and games our kids love, and they know exactly how to build trust before crossing the line.”  

The Guard Against the Groom(ing) Parent Playbook which will be released later this month will provide families with step-by-step checklists to identify the stages of grooming (G.R.O.O.M.I.N.G.), prevention strategies under the G.U.A.R.D.I.N.G. framework, conversation starters, family rules, and response guides to build awareness without fear and real-life safety scenarios and reflection activities to help kids practice how to respond.

The playbook also integrates with the AppSafe Initiative, encouraging parents to review privacy and safety settings on their children’s apps at www.placer.ca.gov/AppSafe. 

“Predators groom, parents guard, and communities stand together to protect our kids,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. “This campaign equips parents with the same awareness our investigators use to identify early signs of grooming and trafficking. When parents and caregivers understand the pattern, they can break it -- before exploitation ever occurs.” 

For more information about the Parent Playbook, visit www.placer.ca.gov/Guard or follow the Placer County District Attorney’s Office and Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center on social media.