SEXTING

Sexting is sending sexually explicit text and pictures from your cell phone.

Sexting usually refers to sharing nude photos thru your cell phones or the internet.

Sexting refers to using cell phones to send sexual pictures and messages to each other.

What is Sexting?

YES!

Is Sexting Bad and Wrong?

Many “sexts” will be transmitted beyond the original person who received the “sext”.

The “sext” can be forwarded to other people, posted on a public site, like MySpace or FaceBook, or even displayed on computers in school.

So, what was meant for 1 person can actually end up being seen by 100s of people!

More than half of the world’s population now owns a cell phone.

20% of teens say they have sent/posted nude or seminude pictures or videos of themselves. 11% were teen girls between the ages of 13-16.

Almost 40% of all teens have sent or posted sexually suggestive messages.

STATISTICS

51% of teen girls say pressure from a guy is a reason girls send sexy messages or images; only 18% of teen boys cited pressure from girls as a reason.

23% of teen girls and 24% of teen boys say they were pressured by friends to send or post sexual content.

*Statistics taken from www.webwisekids.org

STATISTICS

Don’t take or send nude or sexually suggestive photos of yourself or anyone else.

If you do, you can be charged with producing or distributing child pornography.

If you keep them on your phone, you can be charged with possession of child pornography.

If they go to someone in another state, it’s a federal offense.

Is Sexting Illegal?

Emotional damage and embarrassment that can come from having intimate photos of yourself go to a friend who can become an ex-friend, who in order to hurt you, sends them to everyone.

Your reputation is ruined and can affect you by being removed from extracurricular activities at school and you can even be suspended or expelled.

Non-Legal Consequences

Do use your cell phone for fun and to communicate and stay connected with your friends and family.

Do remember that what you post or text message about others can be out there in cyberspace FOREVER.

Do talk to an adult you trust if you have sent or received any messages that were harmful or made you feel uncomfortable.

SAFETY TIPS

DO NOT take or forward nude pictures to ANYONE. Once you send or post a picture, you can never get it back. These pictures could be illegal and consequences include, expulsion from school, jail, and registering as a sex offender.

DO report any nude pictures you receive on your phone to an adult you trust.

DO try just talking with your friends the old fashioned way (on the phone) instead of just text messaging all the time.

SAFETY TIPS

www.webwisekids.com www.thatsnotcool.com www.loveisrespect.org

SOURCES AND SITES

RESPECT YOURSELF AND

RESPECT OTHERS ALWAYS!