Thread by @Bella_hus

#TW #Grooming

Saw this video a few weeks ago on Aaron Taylor Johnson's relationship with his wife and decided against sharing it as soon as I finished it because it was too triggering for me.

But I think it's important to address how normalised grooming is here, despite it being a crime in Brunei. I know I keep tweeting and retweeting about this subject matter-and yes, I am aware that I do come off aggressive in trying what little I can so ppl would talk about it more

I don't believe I owe anyone a "personal excerpt" to validate why I feel so strongly about this, but yes. I was a victim of child-grooming before and I also strongly feel that we do not need more kids to be victimised before this becomes a real concern in our community.

Adults who groom children including teenagers rob these minors off their agency to make sound and critical decisions of their own.

Often when adult-teen relationships occur there's this weird pass ppl give as long as physical contact/molestation hasn't occurred.

And often the adults themselves who are engaged in grooming these minors fool themselves into thinking that these teens aren't doing anything they don't want to.

Especially when the teen so happens to already be attracted to the adult in question.

But one needs to go back to the main point of the minor's capacity in making that decision to enter into a relationship with an adult.

The power imbalance, the lack of maturity and understanding on the minor's part and the vulnerability of the minor only looking at this adult as their only reference point in life.

We so obviously balk at adults who sexualise children... but shirk teenagers off the same reaction because what? Because they've hit puberty? Because they're physically viable to reproduce?

Stealing a person's childhood to shape them into becoming your perfect partner is every bit as wrong even if physical sexual molestation has not occurred.

Please. If you know anyone engaged in grooming a minor, speak out.