Sexting Could be a Sex Crime

Ignore This and You Might Ruin Your Kid’s Life – Sexting is a Potential Sex Crime A recent report by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy found that over 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and a hard to fathom 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves either via cell phone text messaging or by posting on the internet. Teen girls are a little more likely to do this than boys and a very disturbing 11% of the young teen girls (ages 13-16) admitted to sending inappropriate photos of themselves. Recent reports from The Nielsen Company and the Pew Research Center show several factors that should be causing concern for parents and guardians. These topics are also an opportunity for solution providers. There is an increase in the percentage of young people that use mobile phones, the amount of texting they do, and potentially much more serious the percentage of teens that are involved in “sexting” – the sending of potentially illegal images or text messages from mobile phones. Why the fuss and bother? Just innocent fun, youth exploring their emerging sexuality? Think again. Sending a sexually explicit image of a child is a sex crime. Young people are being arrested, convicted and having to register as sex offenders. They are gambling with more than emotional distress and humiliation, convictions can trigger a restriction of school activities, such as sports, denial of college admission, and denial of student loan eligibility, and losing jobs. A felony conviction may also affect future employment opportunities, such as those offered in law enforcement and other high-security clearance positions. In other words, ruining their lives over a little “innocent” fun. There isn’t anything innocent about it. Consider that if a young teen sends a sexting photo of themselves – they could be violating child pornography statues in most states. Getting convicted in criminal court for “sexting” can easily result in other serious consequences. In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine imposed by the court, they may be required to register with the Sex Offender Registration Board for the next 20 years. Additionally, the criminal court may order the forfeiture and destruction of the computer or digital devices used. As sending text messages from mobile phones has become an attraction in youth social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly troubled about the role of mobile phones in the sexual lives of youths. A fresh survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) found that 4% of mobile phone using youths between the ages of twelve and seventeen indicate they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to other people via SMS text messages. This practice is typically referred to “sexting” in the current slang. Additionally, 15% say they have received such images of someone they actually know by way of SMS. According to research from marketing research firm The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American teenagers transmit an unbelievable average of ten SMS text messages every hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and probably a lot during their classes too! By studying more than forty thousand monthly US mobile telecom bills, Nielsen found that American teenagers sent an average of an astounding 3,146 texts each month during the third quarter 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – aged nine to twelve sent about 1,100 texts every month. That equates to four per hour they were in school or not sleeping. In comparison, the average number of monthly texts sent by all mobile users combined was a little more than five hundred. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users ages 9-12 years old increased messaging usage by eight percent just about doubling the quantity of text messages. Focus group findings show that sexting occurs usually during one of three different scenarios: The first, exchanges of images only between two romantic partners; the next, lists exchanges between partners that are then shared with other people; followed by, exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but where often one person hopes to be. Teenagers were interviewed and gave Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist and author of the report various explanations surrounding the motivation to get involved with sexting. These included the researcher’s interpretation that “…sexually suggestive images had become a form of relationship currency,”; that sexting images “… are shared as a part of or instead of sexual activity,” and that SMS text message sexting is a way of starting or maintaining a relationship. Sensitive images are also passed along to friends “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.” Teenagers also shared with researchers the pressure they feel to share sexual images. Not surprisingly the report also reveals that teens who are more intense users of cellular phones are more likely to to be sent sexually suggestive images. For these young people, the phone has become such a common means for communication and a variety of content that turning it off is nearly unthinkable. The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years mixed with constant connection via cellular phones and other mobile devices “…creates a ‘perfect storm’ for sexting,” said Pew’s Amanda Lenhart. “Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and relationships, but their coming-of-age mistakes and transgressions have never been so easily transmitted and archived for others to see.” Despite some indications that per user usage has peaked (they can’t possibly use them more can they?!?) Nielsen estimates that overall text messaging usage will increase as the avid user population ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to stay in contact with them. Existing SMS users are expected to continue to use texting extensively and as tweenagers age they will increase usage. The number of text messages sent per capita has grown every year and should continue. If you’ve got kids then in all likelihood not shocked by the usage numbers. In all probability most parents can’t believe their teens are involved with sexting, or they are looking for ways to find out. While parents may be upset that all the texts their teens and tweens are sending are going to break the bank, Nielsen research shows the average cost of a single text message is only about one penny. The real issue concerning parents is not so much how often teens use their phones but has more to do with how they use their phones, and when they are texting. Sexting is an extremely complex issue. Consequently, it is very hard to offer advice on how best to handle these situations. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy states that there are four roles to every sexting case: the individual seen in the photo, someone who took the picture, the distributor(s) of the image, and the recipient(s) of the photo. In some cases one person may assume more than one of these roles (e.g., a youth takes a sexually explicit photo, of herself and sends it to a classmate). In other situations, multiple people may take on a single role (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit picture of himself and sends it to a classmate who then forwards the photo to the entire high school senior class). It is important to consider the intent and motivation of each of the parties under different circumstances. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children advocates parents monitor cell phone use. A workable technological solution available for parents and guardians to find out what what’s going on with their teens is cell phone software. Sexting can be against the law. Parents have responsibility to stop it. Especially when low cost solutions can be ordered over the internet.