Viral Book Broken Strings: Child Grooming Difficult to Detect due to Manipulation

Broken Strings depicts the dark experience of Aurelie Moeremans becoming a victim of child grooming at the age of 15. (Instagram)

JAKARTA - Beautiful actress Aurelie Moeremans has received massive support from the Indonesian people in the last few days after she wrote her bitter experience as a teenager in a memoir titled Broken Strings.

Broken Strings tells the story of how Aurelie, then 15, was manipulated. He even received violence, both verbal and sexual, from the figure of Bobby, who was almost twice his age.

Aurelie was also a victim of a fake marriage made by Bobby. After several years, the actress managed to break free from the marriage. The pattern told by Aurelie is very typical of the practice of child grooming: the perpetrator builds emotional closeness slowly, gives attention, gifts, and praise, until the victim feels that they have a special bond that makes them dependent and difficult to let go.

This is in line with the explanation of clinical and forensic psychologist Kasandra Putranto, that child grooming is a process when an offender, usually an adult, builds an emotional relationship with a child with the aim of sexually exploiting the child.

The actor appeared in a theatrical campaign against violence against women and children in Lhokseumawe, Aceh. (ANTARA PHOTO/Rahmad)

"This process often involves manipulation, deception, and domination, where the perpetrator tries to gain the trust of their child and/or parent before committing acts of abuse. Grooming can happen directly or through social media and online platforms," Kasandra said when contacted by VOI.

There is a Vulnerability in Children

Broken Strings is not written in a sensational tone, but flows calmly and is full of contemplation. For Aurelie, the book which was actually released since October 2025, is a sign of her success through the long process of rising and making peace with the past.

Meanwhile, from the reader's side, this book opens the space for empathy and awareness that violence, both physical and mental, can happen to anyone.

Child grooming cases are quite common in the community. Kasandra Putranto said that children are often the target of grooming because they are vulnerable to the practice because they are weak and easily deceived, especially when there is a gap or opportunity for predators to take advantage of the opportunity.

Unfortunately, child grooming is often difficult to detect. This is due to several factors. First, because child grooming involves mechanisms and patterns of violence that make the victim in a threatening situation and do not dare to fight, especially with the threat of threats, usually pornography or terrible ideas related to children and their families.

"When the perpetrator manages to identify a vulnerability gap in the child, whether in the form of parental hesitation, the child's psychological profile, the child's unmet or unmet needs, to family dysfunction," he explained.

In addition, Kasandra said, technological advances also carry very high risks, especially in the hands of children who are vulnerable because they do not yet have the knowledge and ability to protect themselves.

Characteristics of the Perpetrator Grooming

Although the practice of grooming is difficult to detect, Kasandra explained the characteristics that can be the characteristics of the perpetrators. In this practice, the perpetrators often involve manipulation, unilateral profit extraction, threats, violence, sexual violence that violates the provisions of legal, moral, and social norms.

"The perpetrators are often very skilled in emotional manipulation, able to build trust and strong relationships with children and adults around them," Kasandra explained.

"Perpetrators also show false empathy. They may show excessive empathy and concern for the child, creating the impression that they care and understand the child's needs.

The prevalence of cases of abuse and exploitation of children shows the need for serious attention from the community and the government, to increase awareness, education, and legal protection to prevent actions that harm children.

Child grooming perpetrators are often difficult to detect because they manipulate and exploit the victim's weaknesses. (Unsplash)

Kasandra emphasized the importance of educational awareness for the community regarding the issue of abuse and exploitation of children. Education about children's rights and how to protect themselves, he said, must also be introduced early in school.

He also urged that stricter enforcement of the law should be applied to punish perpetrators of abuse. The community must also play an active role in creating a safe environment for children.

"Effective law enforcement is needed to provide a sense of security to children and parents," said Kasandra.

"Community programs involving parents and children can increase awareness and prevention," he said.