ABSTRACT
Research on trust has mostly focused on optimistic concepts of trust as an interactive relational psychological state, omitting aspects of misplaced and blind trust, notably their links with coercion. Yet, paradoxically, the stronger trust becomes, the more vulnerable the trustor is to increasing risks of a loss of trust. Although often slow to build, trust can be lost in a moment of betrayal. Its relationship with coercion is complex. A particular trust paradox occurs in the hidden coercion of online social media grooming of vulnerable young people. Blind trust, a form of dysfunctional trust established by the groomer through deception, is a perversion of basic trust simultaneously increasingly strong in its power over the victim yet progressively vulnerable to erosion if the implied social contract of mutual understanding is perceived to be breached. This chapter provides a unique, original exploration of the paradoxical relationship between blind trust and coercion, observed from theoretical and empirical findings from interviews concerning young people learning about online social media grooming. The context of the research was a youth group in London. Interviews with young people 18–24+ years old and community supporters (n = 22) were supplemented by findings from youth club workshop discussions (n = 60+). A multi-stakeholder Challenging Hate Crime community of practice, including a university, police, territorial army, and local council participated to provide guidance to young people. Recommendations for further research and professional practice on building trust and youth leadership to raise awareness of blind trust and challenge online social media grooming are provided.
