This age is one of highly advanced technology. With our smartphones, we hold in the palm of our hand more computing power than it took NASA to land on the moon. These handheld marvels allow us to communicate with friends that live on the other side of the world through text messaging, listen to any song that we desire at a moment’s notice, and have collective knowledge of the world at our fingertips. However, there is a danger accompanying all of these benefits.
The term sexting refers to the sending of sexually explicit messages or photographs. Nearly 20% of teens surveyed stated that they had sent a sexually explicit image of themselves via cell phone, while almost double that number stated that they had received such a message. One girl told researchers: “I get asked for naked pictures at least two or three times each week.” Some young boys expect certain things like sexting from girls because they had become used to seeing it from a regular and habitual viewing of online pornography. In fact, one boy stated that in the absence of a decent sex education, young men his age were turning to online porn as a way to learn about sex and relationships. Young girls often feel pressured by their peers to send out explicit photos or messages because such activity is viewed as the norm. What they may not realize is that a message that was intended to be something private can quickly turn into a public matter, which could cause a negative reputation to develop.
Stop sexting before it starts. Talk to your teen about the dangers of sharing explicit messages. Remember, once a message or photo is sent out into the digital void, it is out there permanently. Encourage your teen about the consequences of their message before they press the send button.
A Positive Approach to Teen Health has reached over 120,000 students since 1993. We have in school presentations, after school mentoring programs, parent programs, and community-wide events that encourage teens to make healthy choices. We educate teens on making healthy choices when it comes to drugs, alcohol, sex, and relationship violence. Our goal is for teens to have stronger more meaningful relationships, healthy futures, and successful ventures throughout their entire lives.