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Bravehearts has launched a powerful new national awareness campaign, ‘Grooming Hides Behind Harmless‘, to expose the subtle, manipulative behaviours perpetrators use to groom children – and the adults around them – as a precursor to child sexual abuse.
Directed by award-winning actor, filmmaker and writer Leah Purcell AM, a proud Goa Gungurri Wakka Wakka woman, the campaign centres around a stark and confronting statistic: 79% of child sexual abuse survivors knew their abuser – a relative, friend, acquaintance or neighbour.
Almost one in four Australians are not confident in identifying indicators of sexual abuse, and only one in five feel confident talking to a child or parent about sexual abuse. These statistics underscore the critical need for education, particularly in the area of grooming.
Alison Geale, CEO of Bravehearts, said grooming is the calculated process perpetrators use to gain a child’s trust, isolate them, and ensure their silence, often happening in plain sight.
“Grooming doesn’t look like danger; it looks like kindness, helpfulness, and trustworthiness. Offenders deliberately present as ‘good people’ – the kind who offer to help with school pickups, coach the footy team, or spend time with your child one-on-one under the guise of care.
“And it is not just the child who is targeted. Groomers also manipulate parents, carers, schools, and organisations, building credibility so suspicions are dismissed and access to the child is easier to maintain. That’s why it’s so critical we learn to identify behaviours that may seem harmless but are actually red flags,” Ms Geale said.
Ms Purcell’s involvement in the campaign was driven by her family and friends’ experiences. Her approach to directing this complex subject matter was to focus on honesty, emotional impact, storytelling, and the importance of early recognition of red flags.
“We like to think we’d know a perpetrator if we saw one, but grooming doesn’t wear a warning label. It hides behind warm smiles, helping hands, and familiar faces. I wanted this campaign to show how something that feels ordinary – a favour, a secret, a little extra attention – can be part of a much darker pattern. My goal was to tell that story clearly, so families and communities can start to see what they’ve been taught to overlook,” Ms Purcell said.
Backed by the advertising and media industry pro-bono, the Grooming Hides Behind Harmless campaign will feature on television, radio, online and BVOD from 1 June, addressing some of the five stages of grooming and associated red-flag behaviours that can happen in person or online.
“Every parent wants to believe they’d know if something was wrong, but grooming is designed to exploit that trust. Recognising red flags is not about fearmongering – it’s about equipping people with knowledge. Knowledge is power and awareness is prevention,” Ms Geale.
Bravehearts urges every Australian – parents, teachers, carers, neighbours, coaches, and community members – to get educated, stay alert, and be willing to act by learning more about red flag behaviours.
Media Contact: Justine Sywak, 0448 448 487 – media@theshannoncompany.com.au
Thank you to the following companies and agencies who donated their time and expertise to bring the ‘Grooming Hides Behind Harmless’ campaign to fruition. Your passion, dedication and creativity will help protect children throughout Australia and beyond.
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