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Pro-anorexia coaches prey on individuals with eating disorders.
E I Simons1,2, F Noteboom1, E F van Furth3,4
1Center against Child Trafficking and Human Trafficking, Capelle aan den IJssel, The Netherlands.
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|October 31, 2023
Summary
Pro-anorexia coaches exploit individuals with eating disorders online, using grooming tactics to obtain explicit content or arrange in-person meetings. Awareness is crucial for protecting vulnerable individuals from these predatory practices.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Online Behavior
- Eating Disorders
Background:
- Pro-anorexia communities and websites are established online spaces.
- Limited research exists on the specific role and methods of pro-anorexia coaches within these communities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the modus operandi of pro-anorexia coaches.
- To understand how these coaches interact with and exploit individuals seeking weight loss advice online.
Main Methods:
- Utilized three fake profiles to interact with 31 pro-anorexia coaches.
- Administered an online questionnaire to 79 respondents regarding their experiences with these coaches.
- Conducted in-depth interviews with 14 respondents for further insights.
Main Results:
- Pro-anorexia coaches employ a five-stage model similar to online grooming.
- Tactics include building trust, demanding explicit material, increasing pressure, blackmail, and arranging in-person meetings.
- Coaches prey on vulnerable individuals with eating disorders.
Conclusions:
- Pro-anorexia coaches engage in predatory behavior, abusing vulnerable individuals for sexual content or meetings.
- Their methods mirror online grooming, highlighting a significant risk to individuals with eating disorders.
- Clinical professionals, parents, and educators must be aware to detect and protect potential victims.
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