Teenagers 'sexting' nude pics far more than previously thought

Nearly a third of teenagers have 'sexted' nude photos of themselves - and 57% have been harassed to send pictures

• Teenagers who 'sext' are more likely to have sex
• Female teenagers feel 'harassed' to send pictures
• Far higher than previous estimates
• Practice is modern version of 'You show me mine...'

By ROB WAUGH
DAILY MAIL
July 3, 2012

Smartphone risk: A study in American
schools found that a third of teenagers
had sent a nude picture of themselves,and 
57% had been asked to.

Image Credit: DailyMail

Teenagers are 'sexting' nude pictures of themselves far more than previously thought.
A study in American schools found that close to a third of teenagers had sent a nude picture of themselves, and 57% had been asked to.

Teenagers who engaged in 'sexting' were also more likely to have sex.

Researchers claim that 'sexting' via email or text has become a modern version of 'You show me mine, I'll show me yours.'

The alarming figures are in contrast to previous studies which have estimated that a mere 1% of teenagers had sent naked pictures.

But the new study is much larger, and, researchers suspect, more accurate.

Researchers surveying nearly 1,000 students at seven schools in southeast Texas found that 28 percent of adolescents have sent a nude pictures of themselves through electronic means; more than half (57 percent) have been asked to send a nude picture; and about one-third (31 percent) have asked for a nude picture to be sent to them.

These rates are substantially higher than recently published peer-reviewed data suggesting that only a little more than one percent of teens had sent naked pictures.

[...]

Moreover, teen girls — but not boys — who engaged in sexting had a higher prevalence of risky sexual behaviors, including multiple partners and using drugs or alcohol before sex.

Jeff Temple, UTMB assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, believes this gender difference may be attributed at least in part to social beliefs about sexting, particularly that it may be perceived permissively and positively for boys and thus, not considered risky or to be associated with other dangerous behaviors.

Girls, on the other hand, may be perceived as promiscuous if they sext. If willing to risk reputation, they may be inclined to take other risks as well...

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Sexting: A Growing Heinous Phenomenon: By Carly Nicola

The Dangers of the Digital World

Posted: November 24, 2010; by Carly Nicola

Sexting is a result of advances in technology enabling new forms of social interaction. Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages, photographs or videos through some form of technology in digital media, mainly involving cell phones and internet. Anyone can participate in the act of sexting, but it has become typically common among many teenagers and young adults. The new forms of technology that we use have a big risk on the people who are using the digital media irresponsibly. With all these new forms of technology, it enables us to send photographs and videos more easily and more often. Sexting has become so common among teenagers, that they are partaking in this activity as a social thing; however the social danger with sexting is that the messages can so very easily be spread and it will be completely out of the sender’s control. Interestingly, 22% of teens admit that technology makes them personally more forward and aggressive (CosmoGirl and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2009.)

Many teenagers aren’t aware that sending or receiving explicit photographs to their peers is actually illegal and is correlated with child pornography. Sexting can result in very legal repercussions. Sexting is becoming more and more dangerous and it is not uncommon for teenagers to be charged with the distribution of child pornography or the possession of child pornography. The United States especially has such strict anti-child pornography laws, which is of course good; however many teenagers and young adults aren’t aware that they can be charged for these acts. Some people are even charged as sex offenders, and will have to live their whole lives with that title.

...Many people, especially teenagers don’t realize how big of a deal that sexting is or simply using electronic media to send something explicit. Teenagers are often unable to recognize long term consequences. There are lots of things to think about before sending explicit messages to others. Don’t forget that when you send something digitally to someone else, it’s theirs to keep afterwards and do whatever they want with it, because you can never take that back, once the message is sent you cannot un-send it. There is also no changing your mind in cyberspace, anything you send or post, in all reality will never truly go away. Also, don’t forget the laws of our country, and the consequences of committing the crimes according to the law. In all reality, don’t assume anything you send is going to remain private because it’s likely that at one time or another messages will get shared or sent to someone else. Let’s face it sexting is a very risky, and dangerous activity to be involved in....

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