SEXTING

Being aware of the current trend of sexting among teens I thought it might be appropriate to give you some facts related to this trendy task, in hopes of preventing you any unnecessary future emotional and perhaps physical harm.

The FACTS:

In a recent survey done by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy the following things were revealed:

• 71 percent of teen girls and 67 percent of teen boys who have sent or posted sexually suggestive content say they have sent it to a boyfriend or girlfriend.

• 15 percent of teens who have sent these images of themselves say they have done so to someone they only knew online.

• 44 percent teens say it is common for sexually suggestive text messages to get shared with people other than the intended recipient.

The DANGERS:

1. The message sender has no control of its distribution

2. Nearly 20 percent of sexting recipients have passed the image to someone else who the sender may or may not know.

3. Photographs easily can be downloaded to a computer, posted on public Web sites or printed and distributed and result in suspension from school, hinder job opportunities, or college entrance, and possible result in a 10 year prison sentence.

Who's DOING IT:

According to the Survey: 1,300 teens, One in five say they have sexted in spite of knowing it is a criminal offense.

Just so you know!

Jessica D. Cleveland ALC, NCC