It's important to stay calm; reassure them that they have done the right thing by telling you. Listen to them and offer support – they're probably upset and will need help and advice, not criticism. Remind them not to print or share the image as this could put them at risk.
Ask Who or What Led Your Child to Sext
Often, teens send sexual messages because of peer pressure and blackmail. They may also believe sexting is a healthy way to flirt. During the process, it's crucial only to ask relevant questions. That may help your child feel comfortable enough to share the reasons.
If a compromising image goes public or is sent to others, your teen could be at risk of humiliation, embarrassment, and public ridicule. Even worse, it could damage your teen's self-image and even lead to depression and other mental health issues. And there can be legal consequences.
Sexting can cause serious problems for teens. Not only can it lead to social embarrassment, but it can also lead to bullying and cyberbullying. It can also affect a person's career choices and can lead to “Sextortion” which is the act of sharing naked pictures with another person to harm them.
The average age for a child to get their first smartphone phone is also about 10-years-old, according to the research firm Influence Central. By 13, nearly 40% of kids had at least one experience with sexting, according to the Jiminy study. Dr. Rice says exposure at such a young age can have a lifelong impact.
Some risks of sexting include: Permanency: you can't “unsend” a sext. Blackmail: sexual messages could be used to manipulate you in the future. Emotional health: if someone shares your message without your consent, it could affect your mental and emotional well-being. Physical safety: you could be harassed or bullied.
There could be legal consequences. Taking, sending, or forwarding nude pictures of anyone under 18 – even yourself – could get you slapped with child pornography charges and you could be put on a sex offender registry for life. You could get in trouble at school.
Sexting can negatively affect your mental health, relationships and future. It can even have legal consequences. Before sending an explicit photo, remember that once an image is out there, you can't get it back.
Sexting is a Federal Crime
But even when the photo or message in question is being sent to a friend, sexting still violates child pornography statutes. Convicted teens may even have to register as sex offenders.
Inappropriate or explicit imagery means pictures, images or videos containing or promoting violent language, gruesome or disgusting imagery, graphic images of physicaltrauma, gratuitous portrayals of bodily fluids or waste, foul or offensive language, cruelty or gratuitous violence towards animals and/or pornographic ...
Curiosity about genitalia is a perfectly normal part of early sexual development. When little kids touch their own genitals or show an interest in looking at other people's private parts, they are most likely doing what young children are born to do: learning about themselves and the world around them.
“Begin the conversation with an opening that indicates you're ready to play without revealing too much. Sending a selfie of your cleavage, for example, with a simple message of 'Hey you' can grab their attention while making your intentions clear of what this thread can become if the person is willing to answer back.”
The act of sexting can be consensual and is not itself a sign of abuse. However, an abuser could use photographs, videos, or messages shared through sexting to maintain power and control over you. For example, the abuser may later threaten to share these images or may actually share them with others.
But at the very least, sending someone a graphic photo or message without the courtesy of a warning is disrespectful. At most–when the photos come from complete strangers–it's a form of digital sexual harassment. Why?
A new study has shown that sexting was associated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors. The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Sexting is defined as sending a sexually explicit image of oneself over text messaging.
It is most prevalent among those aged 15 and over, with 17% saying they had shared a nude or sexual photo of themselves. This increases in the mid-teens, from 4% at age 13 to 7% at age 14.
If you're found guilty, you may be placed on the sex offender register, which means the police will always watch you and know your personal information (where you live, your phone number, where you work). isn't anything you can do to prevent it from being shared with others.