To not find the Bethany grooming storyline realistic?

[Soyamilkisniceintea]

I guess because she has a concerned family worried about her?

I can't help but think a girl who was the victim of grooming would be more likely to be very isolated.

It can happen to anyway

Which is I guess what they're trying to get across.

There's no certain 'type' when it comes to this sort of thing.

*anyone

But he is isolating her from her family.

It's good they are highlighting the fact that even young people from loving homes can fall victim to such things.

It shows it can happen to anyone.

True! It just all feels a bit try hard, like they've wanted to do a grooming storyline and just landed their finger on a character.

It is realistic, it pretty close to mirroring exactly how my first 'relationship' went.

I don't know the Bethany storyline, but I know that grooming can happen to DC with concerned families.

www.breckfoundation.org/

People with concerned, loving families and friends are still groomed. People from all kinds of backgrounds can be groomed. I don't watch this programme myself, but I think it's good if it shows it can happen to anybody.

Bethany wasn't groomed online, was she?

Hopefully, it is making the majority of us realise that our children are not safe just because we love them. It is very easy to assume this sort of thing happens to 'others'. Had it happened to a character with a dodgy background on TV we would all assume it couldn't possibly happen to our children and it would be vaguely interesting viewing but nothing else. The aim is to raise awareness with as many as possible whilst entertaining us, surely?

Well, it doesn't have to mean dodgy background (Bethany's is dodgy as!)

But, I think the closeness between Bethany and sarah is what makes me a bit about the storyline.

I remember when the Rotherham abuse stories broke, some of the victims were in the media and a few of them did come from stable loving homes, they weren't all vulnerable girls plucked from the care system. These types of predators know what to do and what to say to isolate their victims.

No, but we are vulnerable in different ways aren't we? :)

Maybe it's Nathan I find unrealistic

Not necessarily.

Many many years ago, it's not the same thing at all I know but one of my first relationships was abusive, I had friends and family concerned for me. I thought the man loved me. He didn't and I now know what happened to me then, shouldn't have.

I'm sorry about that Away when is an abusive relationship grooming, though? Bethany is 16.

Also, he is isolating her, slowly but surely. Like getting her to think differently about Gary, dismissing Sarah's call when he sees her ringing etc.

This is exactly how they do it, slowly ebbing away until you think its only him that loves you anyway. Bethany's face on Friday made me ever so sad for her.

That's an abusive relationship, but what's the difference between that and grooming?

The man that plays Nathan was on This Morning the other day. He was explaining that all of Nathan's 'friends' are all part of a wider grooming gang. To me, he's effectively pimping her out to his mates.

I think the age thing is good as people dont really see it as grooming at that age do they because of the whole consent thing, for context I was 17 with 'X'. To me, it's not about how old they are but how vulnerable they are if that makes sense?

I work in this field so have been watching closely. It's very realistic. Girls can have a supportive family and close relationship with their parents and still be groomed. He is making her feel she has no one. I think they have been advised well

It does make sense pixies but I guess from a legal perspective, when is it grooming and when is it just an 'ordinary' abusive relationship? Rhetorical question really but does anyone know? :)

I don't know. It just doesn't ring true to me.

I wonder what the deal is with Mel- Did he groom her once too and why does she still stick around/do his bidding.

And is it really a tanning salon or just a front?

I do find Nathan a bit cringe/hammy acting wise. But Lucy Fallon is very good.

It's grooming because he is 'grooming her into' sex (rape) with his friends. My first boyfriend did the same thing to me and I have a very large, very close family and had lots of friends.

It is very realistic and I hope it helps victims to see they aren't alone and to get help.

I think Mel is still Nathan's 'girlfriend' he talks about 'rescuing by her' so I think she is 'grateful' to him and scared of being alone (think he 'rescued her' when she was a teenager so it's all she knows as an adult).

There's no real nuance though. One minute they are moving in, then she's being pimped out in the next episode. Seems to me more likely it would start with a threesome or something, blurring boundaries and so on. Anyway!