The Many Masks of the Emotional Groomer
Summary by Emerald O’Brien
Sexual con artists wear many “masks” to hide their true intentions. These masks can’t be seen as real masks can. They are invisible disguises meant to keep a con artist’s games from being discovered. But if youth learn to look closely, they will see that behind each mask is someone who wants to use and manipulate them. Targets also wear masks to cover up the shame, fear, or humiliation they feel.
As a classroom project to illustrate how teenagers felt about being involved in a sexual con game, students made paper maché or plaster masks to describe how they felt. The students who participated in this curriculum wrote the following true excerpts.
What Girls Said: My mask is a groomer who has blue hair-a cold-hearted, reface-angry for being “Hey baby, would you like to jump in bed with me?” Two hours later: “Ha, ha, I got my way!”
My mask would say, “I’m a great guy. All the girls like me. You’d be missing out if you’re not with me.”My mask hides the darkness in his life and having low self-esteem and being paranoid about others finding out about him.
My mask […]
Sandy Bober shares her personal testimony about being raped in college, her infection with an STD and her struggles and ultimate victory to regain her self-esteem, healthy relationships and a successful marriage.
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