What is ‘sexting’? Sexting is taking nude or scantily clad photos of yourself or others and then sending them via text messaging to someone else or posting them online. Sexting is primarily done by teenagers and tweens. Some teens do it as a joke while others do it for the attention.
It is estimated that about half of high school teenagers have indecent photos of themselves on their cell phones. A recent study showed that 20 percent of teens admitted to sexting and or posting nude or semi-nude photos of themselves online. The same study indicated that 44 percent believe it is common for sexually explicit photos or text messages to be shared with others that are not the intended recipient. Proving that the teenagers know their photos are going to be passed around but still continue to participate.
The problem with sexting is that it is a criminal offense. Earlier this week, in Pennsylvania, three teenage girls were charged with child pornography when they sent nude or semi-nude photos to three male classmates. The three boys were also charged with receiving the photos. The girls may even have to register as sex offenders. The teens are not being identified.
How I know if my child is sexting? You could always ask them but they are not likely to tell you the truth. If you believe your child is participating in this kind of behavior you should investigate. As a parent, it is important that you manage and restrict all forms of information and communication that your children are receiving and sending. That includes the Internet and their cell phones. Look through their pictures on the computer and their cell phones and if you find any that are disturbing it is time for a discussion. It is important for your children to know the dangers and how things like this could affect them in the future. Many of the things that are posted on the Internet do not go away.
