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 from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy found 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 cell phone SMS text messages or by posting online. 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 suggestive photos of themselves. Recent reports from The Nielsen Company and the Pew Research Center point toward a handful of factors that should be causing concern for parents and guardians. These problems are also an opportunity for software solutions companies. There is a rise in the number of teenagers that own cell phones, the amount of texting they do, and more troubling the percentage of youths that are involved 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? Think again. Sending a sexually explicit picture of someone underage 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, 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 can 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 sixteen year old sends a sexting image of themselves – they could be breaking child pornography statues in most states. A conviction in felony court for “sexting” can result in other serious consequences. In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine levied 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 forfeiture and destruction of the computer or digital devices used. As sending SMS text messages from cellular phones has become a centerpiece in youth social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly concerned about the role of mobile phones in the sexual lives of young adults. A fresh survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) determined that four percent of cell phone owning teenagers between the ages of twelve and seventeen indicate they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via text messaging. This activity is commonly known as “sexting” in today’s slang. Furthermore, 15% say they have received such images of someone they actually know by way of text message. According to a study from marketing research firm The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American teenagers transmit an undreamed of average of 10 text messages every hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and probably a lot during their classes too! By analyzing over than forty thousand monthly US mobile cellular bills, Nielsen found that American teenagers sent an average of an inconceivable 3,146 text messages each month during Q3 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – from age 9 to 12 sent an average of 1,146 texts each month. That that averages out to about 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 just slightly above five hundred. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users aged nine to twelve increased SMS usage by eight percent and almost doubled their text message volume. Focus group findings show that sending provocative images happens usually under one of three different 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 with one person hoping there will be one. Teens were interviewed and gave Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist and author of the report a variety of explanations surrounding 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 friends “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.” Teenagers also described to researchers the peer pressure to share these types of images. Not surprisingly the report also reveals that teenagers 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 an important conduit for communication and a variety of content that doing without it is unlikely. The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years mixed with constant connection using mobile 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 message usage will grow as the heavy text messaging 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 text extensively and as tweenagers age they will increase usage. The average number of text messages per user has increased every year, and there is room for growth. If you’ve got teens 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 will land them in the poorhouse, Nielsen analysis indicates the average cost of a single text message is just one cent. 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 texting. Sexting is a very complex topic. Consequently, it is very difficult to offer advice 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: someone seen in the photo, someone who took the photo, the distributor(s) of the photo, 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 photo, 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 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 practical technological solution available for parents and guardians to find out what what’s going on with their teenagers is cell phone software. 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.