Sexting Could be a Sex Crime

Be Responsible or Let your Kid Ruin Their Life – Sexting is a Potential Sex Crime A recently published report by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy indicates that about 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and an incredible 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves either via mobile phone text messaging or by posting online. 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 point to several factors that should be causing concern for parents and guardians. These topics are also an opportunity for software solutions companies. There is an increase in the percentage of teens that own cellular phones, the amount of texting they do, and potentially much more serious the percentage of young people that participate in “sexting” – the sending of provocative images or text messages from cell phones. Why the fuss and bother? Just innocent fun, adolescents exploring their new sexuality? You might want to reconsider. Sending a sexually explicit picture 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 young teen sends a sexting image of themselves – they could be breaking child pornography statues in most states. Getting convicted in felony court for “sexting” can 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. Furthermore, the criminal court may order the surrender and destruction of the computer or digital devices used. As sending text messages from cellular 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 teens. A recent research study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) concluded that 4% of cell phone owning teenagers between age 12 and 17 indicate they have transmitted sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via text messaging. This practice is commonly referred to “sexting” in the current vernacular. Additionally, 15% say they have received these kinds of images images of someone they actually know via SMS. According to research from market researchers The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American youths transmit an unimaginable average of ten text messages per hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and most likely a lot during their classes too! By analyzing over than forty thousand monthly US mobile telecom bills, Nielsen determined that American teenagers sent an average of an incredible 3,146 texts each month during Q3 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – ages 9-12 years old sent an average of 1,146 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 cell phone users combined was just slightly above 500. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users ages 9-12 years old increased messaging usage by eight percent and almost doubled their text message volume. Pew Research points out that sending provocative images happens usually under one of three specific scenarios: The first, exchanges of images just 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 party hopes to be. Teens were interviewed and gave researchers various explanations behind the impulse 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 establishing a relationship. Sensitive images are also passed along to other people “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.” Teens also described to researchers the peer pressure to share these types of images. Not surprisingly the report also reveals that young people that are intensive users of cell phones are more likely to to be sent sexually suggestive images. For these teens, the phone has become such a common means for communication and a variety of content that doing without it is nearly unthinkable. The combination of risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teen years mixed with constant connection using cell 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 predicts that overall text messaging usage will grow as the avid user demographic ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to keep in contact with them. Current SMS users are expected to continue to use texting extensively and as tweenagers become teenagers they are in all probability going to follow the trends of texting established by current teens. The average number of text messages per user has increased every year, and there is room for growth. If you’ve got teenagers then in all likelihood not surprised by the usage statistics. In all probability most parents don’t believe their kids 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 concerning parents is not so much how often teens use their phones but more about how they use their phones, and when they are using them. Sexting is a very complicated issue. Consequently, it is very hard to offer guidance on how best to manage these situations. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy talks about that there are four roles to every sexting case: the person seen in the photo, the individual who took the photo, the distributor(s) of the photo, 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 picture, 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 consider 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 discover what what’s going on with their children is cell phone technology. Sexting can be illegal. Parents have responsibility to stop it. Especially considering low cost solutions can be ordered online.