id169431310233263

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1308-gm0813p080.jpg

titleThe dangers of sexting

subject date15-03-2021

place

credit

caption80 Photography chris craymer/ trunkarchive. com/ snapper media / corbis gm0813txtp80 - 80 2013-06-17T16:12:44+10:00

id169431310233264

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1308-gm0813p081.jpg

titleThe dangers of sexting

subject date15-03-2021

place

credit

caption81 goodkids. so your teen is sendinG seXy teXts to Friends? hoW concerned shouLd you be? patricia FLokis Finds out A teen girl takes a risqué ‘selfie’ in a see-through top as a joke and texts it to her best friend. A teenage boy asks his new girlfriend to text him a photo of her breasts before sending her one of his private parts. It’s known as ‘sexting’, and most parents would be horrified to discover there were naked or semi-naked photos of their own children circulating in cyberspace or on other people’s phones. But consider this: if your child takes or shares a photo of themself naked, or asks another teen to take or send them a sexual image, they could be charged with producing or distributing child pornography. This legislation, explains Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec from the NSW Sex Crimes Squad, is designed to protect young people from those engaged in producing a risKy Business If a sensitive sext is forwarded or posted online, the social and emotional fallout can be devastating for many teens. “They can be bullied via social media and this has been a major consequence for some of the adolescents I’ve seen,” says child and adolescent psychologist Dr Emma Little. “Girls, in particular, can find their reputations tarnished or they may be perceived as sexually promiscuous and hassled for sex by the opposite gender.” In addition, the comprehension that these photos could be ‘out there’ permanently, with no limits on where they might end up can be a tough lesson, she continues. “This can mean that in the future an adult is still reaping the consequences of thoughtless teenage behaviour.” While there are legal recourses for teens if compromising images are posted online or if they experience PhotograPhy chris craymer/ trunkarchive. com/ snapper media / corbis SEXTING DANGERS of THE and transmitting child exploitation material. “There is no specifi

id169431310233265

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1308-gm0813p082.jpg

titleThe dangers of sexting

subject date15-03-2021

place

credit

caption82 cyber-bullying, Kerlatec is frank about the difficulties police face. “While there are Commonwealth laws that can help us take down offensive material,” he says, “we do face significant limitations in the international environment.” An added challenge in regulating sexting is that many young people will conceal what’s going on. “Young people keep quiet because they don’t think anything can be done about it, but they’re also afraid they will be blamed or charged by police if they admit to taking or sending a naked picture,” says Albury. “Police will take action if we receive a complaint, but we don’t always get told,” says Kerlatec. “Teens are often embarrassed enough when these images come to notice; the idea of telling their parents and involving the police and potentially the courts is considered to be even more humiliating. Teens should be encouraged to speak to their parents, though, as the emotional turmoil could be overwhelming and they may need some support.” Over sharing Given the potential legal and social consequences that sexting can bring into their lives, offline and online, parents rightly ask, ‘Why do they do it?’ One reason is sexual curiosity, says Little. “Sexting may just be the modern way many teens explore their sexuality, just as previous generations had spin the bottle or strip poker.” Then there’s the pull of peer pressure. “It’s not a new concept but teenagers generally want to be like everyone else and their exposure to other kids’ sexts may make this seem like a ‘normal’ behaviour that ‘everyone’ is doing,” says Little. “Teens are also impulsive and their emotions are so intense, so if they’re experiencing their first crush, they may feel like there are no consequences because this person would never hurt them by sharing.” We might also need to consider that today’s teens aren’t necessarily as bothered abo