Sexting Could be a Sex Crime

Be Responsible or Let your Kid Ruin Their Life – Sexting is a Potential Sex Crime

A recent report from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy indicates that over 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and a hard to fathom 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves either via mobile phone SMS text messages or by posting on the internet. Teen girls are slightly 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 troubling to parents and guardians.

These problems are also an opportunity for software solutions companies. There is a rise in the percentage of teens that use cell phones, the amount of texting they do, and more troubling the number of young people 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 discovering their new sexuality?

Think again.

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 gambling with 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 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 young teen sends a sexting image of themselves – they could be violating child pornography statues in most states. Getting convicted in criminal court for “sexting” can easily have other serious consequences. In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine levied by a judge, they may be required to register 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 texting from cellular phones has become a centerpiece in teenager social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly troubled about the role of cellular phones in the sexual lives of teens. A fresh survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) determined that 4% of mobile phone using teens between the ages of twelve and seventeen indicate they have transmitted sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else using text messaging. This practice is typically known as “sexting” in the current vernacular. Additionally, fifteen percent say they have received these kinds of images images of someone they actually know via SMS. According to a study from market researchers The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American young people transmit an unimaginable average of ten SMS text messages every hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and probably a lot during class too! By researching over than 40,000 monthly US mobile cellular bills, Nielsen concluded that American teens sent an average of an astonishing 3,146 text messages each month during Q3 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – ages 9-12 years old sent about 1,100 texts each month. That that averages out to about four every hour they were in school or not sleeping. In comparison, the average number of monthly texts sent by all cellular users collectively was a little more than 500. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users from age 9 to 12 increased text usage by eight percent and almost doubled their text message volume.

Pew Research points out that sexting happens usually under one of three different scenarios: The first, involves exchanges of images solely 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 Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist and author of the report various explanations surrounding the impulse to participate in 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.” Teens also shared with researchers the peer pressure to share sexual images. Not surprisingly the report also reveals that teens who are more intense users of mobile phones are more likely to receive sexually suggestive images. For these teens, the phone has become such a common means for communication and content of all kinds that doing without it is unlikely. The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teen years mixed with regular connection via cellular 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 estimates that overall SMS 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. Existing 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 teenagers then you’re probably not shocked by the usage statistics. In all probability most parents don’t believe their children 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 will land them in the poorhouse, Nielsen analysis shows 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 using them. Sexting is an extremely complex topic. As a result, it is very hard to offer advice on how best to handle these situations. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy states that there are four roles to every sexting case: the individual seen in the photo, the person who took the image, 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 picture, of herself and sends it to a classmate). 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 intent and motivation of each of the parties in every situation. 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 teens is mobile monitoring technology. Sexting can be against the law. Parents are responsible to stop it. Especially when low cost solutions can be ordered over the internet.