Your Text in the Wrong Hands When Is It OK?

YES

By Luke Morgan, 18 Staff Writer

Whether you’re tweeting updates to your

friends or commenting on pictures from

last night on Facebook, it’s clear that we

are plugged in and communicating more

electronically.

If teens are looking for safer ways to

communicate their sexual desires, what

better way than over the computer or even

a phone, where the risks of contracting

sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

or becoming pregnant are eliminated?

Sending or receiving sexually explicit texts

or pictures via a cell phone, or “sexting,”

is one way to avoid the risks associated

with sex and can be OK under certain

circumstances.

According to research conducted by The

National Campaign to Prevent Teen and

Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl,

about 20 percent of teens overall have

engaged in the sending of nude or semi-

nude pictures and videos, while 39 percent

have engaged in the sending of sexually

suggestive texts. Everyone isn’t doing it, but

for those who are, there are some things

you should keep in mind.

Your Text in the Wrong

Hands

It’s important that if you’re going to sext,

you’re sure that you trust the person

you’re sexting and can discuss the

possible implications, including the risk

of others finding out, like friends, parents

or teachers. After all, you wouldn’t want

your partner sharing your sexy texts with

their friends and the rest of the school.

Right?

If you’re in a relationship and sexting or

thinking about sexting, you have to worry

about what could possibly happen if

you break up with your partner. Will the

photographs or texts get into the hands

of the wrong people? Even if you’re not

in a relationship and you trust the person

you’re sexting, anything can happen. The

person you sexted could turn out to be not

as trustworthy as you thought and decide

to share the sexts with his or her friends.

Someone looking through the phone of a

person you sexted could see the text or

photos and decide as a prank to send them

to other people.

If you’re going to send a sexy text message,

you have to be prepared for the fact that

other people may see it.

In some states, if you’re found in

possession of nude photos of someone

under 18 or are known to distribute such

photos (even if the photos are of you!), you

can be legally charged with the possession

and/or distribution of child pornography and

put on the list of registered sex offenders.

Is Sexting

OK?

From the Forums at Sexetc.org

Sexting is OK, but only if you’re in a relationship for awhile. ’Cause honestly, guys will say whatever they have to get a picture of you or some

dirty messages to show their friends. But if you’re truly in a trustworthy relationship, it’s just one of those things couples tend to do. But you

better hope you never break up!

—Rachael, 19, NJ

First of all, after the relationship is over,

they have the pictures and can do so much

that could harm you. Also, if you’re under 18,

it’s illegal, which I would not want to risk.

—Fred, 16, AL

Sending naked pictures is bad, because we should be careful about doing things we might

regret in the future. Pictures can be used against you.

—Elly, 16, Nigeria

When Is It OK?

With all the risks of sexting, why do

it? Whether you’ve decided to remain

abstinent or be sexually active, sending

sexy text messages can help you express

and explore your sexual desires in words

without the risks of STDs and unplanned

pregnancy. Sexting can be a fun way to

flirt with your partner. It’s also an easy way

to keep the relationship exciting. As long

as both you and your partner are being

responsible by not sending nude or semi-

nude photos, sexting can be a lot of fun.

10 sexetc.org

PERSPECTIVES: red light, green light

Is Sexting

OK?

I’m sure your parents have told you stories,

using their serious parental tone, about

that dreaded word associated with teens:

“Sexting!” I know mine have. Maybe you

don’t use the word “sexting,” but your

parents might have had a conversation with

you about the dangers of sending sexually

explicit texts. My parents make sending

sexy text messages or nude or “suggestive”

pictures sound like the worst thing you

can do. But I can imagine that when you’re

doing it, it doesn’t feel serious at all—but

rather fun and sexy.

Not to sound like a mom—even though

that’s pretty inevitable when you hear what

I’m about to say—but sexting can lead

to criminal charges, land you on the sex

offender list and destroy your reputation.

Sexting—at least sending sexual images—is

not OK.

Hitting Send

We all know sending or receiving sexually

explicit pictures or videos is dangerous,

yet that doesn’t stop us from doing it.

Twenty-four percent of 14- to 17-year-olds

have been involved in some type of naked

sexting, according to an Associated Press-

MTV poll. I’ve heard many teens say that

they only sext people they trust—people who

they know won’t show anyone. But while you

could sext someone you trust, it is possible

that this person could be clumsy with his or

her phone and accidentally show or send

that photo or video to someone else. Now

everyone has seen your lacy thong and

bare breasts or your six-pack and your…

package.

Accident or not, your privates have gone

public, but there will be more to deal with

than gossip and crude remarks. The risks

can include being charged with distributing

child pornography and being registered as a

sex offender, which isn’t only for those guys

on NBC’s To Catch a Predator.

Legal Consequences

A 17-year-old girl in Castalia, Ohio, sent

naked pictures of herself to her boyfriend.

After they broke up, the pictures circulated

at a local high school. The girl was then

charged with being an “unruly juvenile.”

At the time, she could have been charged

with distributing material that is harmful to a

child, which is a felony. But lucky for her, her

boyfriend was 18 and legally an adult.

Her boyfriend was also lucky. He could

have been charged with distributing child

pornography, but authorities decided not to

press charges.

From state to state, there are different laws

recognizing various offenses that teens who

By Carly Schlecker, 18

Staff Writer

sext can be charged with. These laws were

written to protect people from adult sex

offenders and the makers and distributors of

child pornography.

Last spring, Ohio actually came up with a

new law to deal with teen sexting. The state

now recognizes “sexting” as a misdemeanor

offense. It is only recognized as an offense

for minors. The law was created to make

sure that teens do not face an overly harsh

punishment or end up on the sex-offender

registry for sexting. While it’s great that Ohio

has come up with these laws, most states

still deal with sexting using laws for sex

offenders and child pornographers, which

carry harsh penalties.

Even when you’re not the one pictured on

the screen, sending sexy photos can get you

into big trouble. In Florida, an 18-year-old

received naked pictures of his 16-year-old

girlfriend. After a fight with her, he sent

those pictures to her contact list. A few

days later, police showed up at his door

and searched every electronic in his house:

MP3s, computers and disks, looking for

“child pornography.” Florida prosecutors

brought 72 charges against him. He pled

guilty and had to register as a sex offender,

so he is unable to live near schools, parks or

playgrounds. He will be on that list at least

until he is 43 years old.

Sexy Words

Sending sexy photos is definitely not worth

all the risks. Long-distance relationships or

long weekends apart can be tough. And

while being apart may be hard, there are

other ways to be sexy… more legal ways.

Whatever happened to good “old-fashioned”

texting? Sometimes sending a simple text

message that isn’t sexually explicit is sexiest,

because it leaves anything sexual up to your

partner’s imagination. A little mystery goes a

long way. This way you can still be sexy and

keep your privates private!