Sexting Could be a Sex Crime

Ignore This and You Might Ruin Your Kid’s Life – Sexting is a Potential Sex Crime A recent study from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy suggests that about 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and an incredible 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude images of themselves either using mobile phone SMS text messages or by posting on the web. Teenage girls are a little more likely to do this than boys and a very distressing 11% of the young teen girls (ages 13-16) admitted to sending suggestive 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 issues are also an opportunity for solution providers. There is an increase in the percentage of teens that own mobile phones, the amount of texting they do, and potentially much more serious the number of young adults that are involved in “sexting” – the sending of provocative images or text messages from mobile phones. What’s the fuss? Just innocent fun, youth discovering their new sexuality? You might want to reconsider. 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 risking more than emotional distress and humiliation, charges of sexual misconduct can result in getting suspended and expelled from school, losing scholarships, and losing jobs. A felony conviction may also affect future employment opportunities, including 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 sixteen year old sends a sexting photo of themselves – they could be breaking child pornography statues in most states. A conviction in felony court for “sexting” may have other serious consequences. In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine imposed by the court, registration may be stipulated with the Sex Offender Registration Board for the next 20 years. Additionally, the felony court may order the forfeiture and destruction of the computer or digital devices used. As texting from cell phones has become a centerpiece in teen social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly concerned about the role of cellular phones in the sexual lives of teenagers. A recent research study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) concluded that four percent of cell-owning youths ages twelve to seventeen say they have transmitted sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via SMS text messages. This practice is typically referred to “sexting” in the current vernacular. Furthermore, 15% say they have received such images of someone they already know via text message. According to research from market researchers The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American teens send an unimaginable average of 10 text messages per hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and most likely a lot during their classes too! By evaluating over than 40,000 monthly US mobile phone bills, Nielsen found that American teenagers sent an average of an astonishing 3,146 texts each month during Q3 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – aged nine to twelve sent about 1,100 texts each month. That equates to four every hour they were in school or not sleeping. To put that in perspective, the average number of monthly texts sent by all cellular users combined was a little more than five hundred. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users aged nine to twelve increased messaging usage by 8% just about doubling the quantity of text messages. Pew Research points out that sexting happens usually under one of three typical 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 behind the motivation to participate in 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 peer pressure to share sexual images. Not surprisingly the report revealed that young people who are more intense users of mobile phones are more likely to to be sent inappropriate images. For these teens, the phone has become such an important conduit for communication and content of all kinds that turning it off is nearly unthinkable. The combination of risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years mixed with constant connection using 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 the indications that per user usage has peaked (they can’t possibly use them more can they?!?) Nielsen forecasts that overall text message usage will grow as the heavy text messaging population ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to keep in contact with them. Existing SMS users will continue to text 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 you’re probably not shocked by the usage statistics. In all probability most parents can’t believe their children are involved with sexting, or they are looking for ways to find out. While parents may get angry that all the texts their teens and tweens are sending are going to break the bank, Nielsen analysis indicates the average cost of a single text message is only about one penny. The real issue affecting families is not so much how often teens use their phones but more about how they use their phones, and when they are texting. Sexting is an extremely complex topic. Consequently, it is very hard to offer advice on how best to manage these situations. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy states that there are four roles to every sexting case: someone seen in the picture, the individual who took the image, the distributor(s) of the image, and the recipient(s) of the image. In some cases one person may assume more than one of these roles (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit image, of herself and sends it to a friend). 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 think about the intentions and motives of each of the parties in every situation. 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 teenagers is mobile monitoring technology. Sexting can be against the law. Parents are responsible to do something about it. Especially when low cost solutions can be ordered over the internet.