Exploratory Analysis of Behavioral Differences Between Hypersexual and Intimacy-Seeking Offenders in Online Child Grooming: Preliminary Findings Based on a New Dataset of Conversations Secured by Law Enforcement

Abstract

Online child grooming is a form of sexual exploitation facilitated by the dynamic growth of the Internet and social media platforms. A common method for studying this phenomenon involves analyzing the content of conversations between offenders and minors. While most previous research has relied on data collected nearly two decades ago by the Perverted Justice Foundation—limited to interactions between offenders and adults posing as minors—this study introduces a new dataset specific to the Polish context. It includes conversations between suspected offenders and real minors, sourced from criminal cases reviewed by Polish courts.

This preliminary analysis focuses on comparing two distinct offender profiles: hypersexual offenders and intimacy-seeking offenders. The study explores differences in their communication strategies, concealment techniques, requests, and the reactions they elicit from minors. The findings provide insight into behavioral patterns associated with each profile and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of offender typologies in online grooming cases.