Grooming (often called “child solicitation” or “online sexual solicitation of minors”) is when an adult contacts a minor with sexual intent and tries to build trust for sexual purposes.

🔴 It is considered grooming when someone:

1. Contacts a minor under 16 (or under 18 in some exploitation contexts)

Online (social media, apps, messaging)
Or in person

2. Establishes communication with sexual intent

For example:

sexual conversations
sending sexual messages or images
asking sexual questions
discussing sexual activity with intent

3. Builds trust to prepare for sexual contact

This can include:

emotional manipulation (“I understand you better than anyone”)
gifts or money
repeated messaging to isolate the minor
pretending to be younger or someone else

4. Tries to arrange a meeting for sexual purposes

Even if the meeting does not happen, it can still be a crime if intent is proven.

⚖️ Important legal point

In Spain, grooming is a crime even if no physical contact happens.

So it can include:

online-only behaviour
planning a meeting
sexual messaging with a minor
attempting to persuade or manipulate a minor

🚨 What is NOT required for it to be grooming?

A case can still be grooming even if:

the minor “agrees”
no meeting takes place
no sexual act occurs
it was only messages or images

The key factor is sexual intent + targeting a minor.

🧠 Why the law is strict

Spanish law focuses on:

preventing sexual exploitation early
stopping manipulation before physical abuse happens
recognising that minors cannot fully give informed sexual consent

⚖️ Penalties (general idea)

Depending on the severity:

prison sentences (often 1–3+ years, higher in aggravated cases)
harsher penalties if:
- there is coercion or blackmail
- explicit images are involved
- the offender travels to meet the minor
- repeated or organised behaviour occurs