A child's protection from grooming and abuse should not depend on their location.

AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File Kentucky’s state capitol building. “I wish I would have said something. I had a bad feeling.” These are often the words of concerned adults after a case of child sexual abuse is finally exposed. They point to the devastating truth that a child’s victimization might have been prevented if someone had intervened the moment they sensed something was wrong. That uneasy feeling is often one of the earliest signs that a child is being groomed. Grooming is a well-documented pattern of behavior that frequently precedes sexual abuse. Its criminalization should be written into federal law, not left to a patchwork of state statutes. A federal standard would establish clear, consistent protections, ensuring children’s safety does not depend on geography. Predators do not operate within neat boundaries, and our laws should not assume they do. Grooming is not a vague or theoretical concept. It is a deliberate process used by adult predators to gain access to children, build trust and erode boundaries over time. To a child being groomed, it rarely feels dangerous at first. It can feel like attention, validation or being singled out in a way that feels positive or rewarding. Predators often target vulnerability, exploiting emotional needs a child may not yet have the capacity to recognize or understand. To surrounding adults, however, those same behaviors often register differently when observed from the outside. A relationship may seem inappropriately close, marked by excessive one-on-one time or increasing isolation from others. Physical contact may appear excessive or unnecessary. Individually, these moments can seem harmless, but over time a pattern emerges that consistently leads to increased, often exclusive, access to a child. Yet that concern rarely translates into action. Good-faith adults often feel powerless to intervene because there is no shared understanding of when the concerning crosses the line to become legally actionable. In most states, the legal framework for suspected child sexual abuse begins only after abuse has already occurred. By then, the damage is done. In other areas of law, we do not wait for violence or abuse to occur before taking legal action. Stalking and harassment are criminalized. Attempted and solicited crimes are also prosecuted. In these cases, the law recognizes that clearly defined patterns of behavior reveal intent and justify intervention. Modern research shows that grooming follows behaviors that develop over time and warrant earlier action. Some may worry that criminalizing grooming risks overreach or unintended consequences. But we can ensure that intervention is grounded in evidence and preserves due process by giving grooming a clear definition. As co-founder of a grassroots advocacy effort focused on student safety in Kentucky, I have seen firsthand how this pattern plays out and how individuals and institutions fail to act during the early stages of grooming. What began as a grassroots effort in one Kentucky community revealed a broader truth: These patterns are not isolated, and grooming is a consistent precursor to sexual abuse. That realization led us to advocate for statewide legislation to criminalize grooming. The bill to that effect, sponsored by state Rep. Marianne Proctor (R), was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear (D) last month. At a time of deep political division, Kentucky’s unanimous bipartisan support for the bill across both chambers makes something clear: This is not about politics. It is about whether we are willing to use the law to address the problem at its earliest stage. This legislation demonstrates that early intervention is not only possible but necessary. With the passage of the anti-grooming bill, Kentucky now joins a growing number of states that have criminalized the grooming of minors. This legislation marks a shift from reactive to proactive intervention and acknowledges what survivors, families and communities have long known: Sexual abuse rarely begins with a single act. It unfolds through a pattern of behavior over time, often involving adults in positions of trust, authority and influence, particularly within schools and churches. What comes next is clear. The criminalization of grooming should be a federal standard, and states should not wait, either. The most comprehensive protection for children will come when both federal and state laws reflect a shared commitment to proactively preventing child sexual abuse. Because waiting for certainty is what allows it to happen. Laura Wills-Coppelman is co-founder of ICKYSchools.org. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.