Sexting can affect your mental health and relationships Sexting can have potential emotional consequences like: Regret. Objectification/victimization. Bullying.
Sexting can cause serious problems for teens. Not only can it lead to social embarrassment, but it can also lead to bullying and cyberbullying. It can also affect a person's career choices and can lead to “Sextortion” which is the act of sharing naked pictures with another person to harm them.
There could be legal consequences. Taking, sending, or forwarding nude pictures of anyone under 18 – even yourself – could get you slapped with child pornography charges and you could be put on a sex offender registry for life. You could get in trouble at school.
Penalties for the making, possessing and/or transmission of child exploitation material are very serious and can result in imprisonment and registration on the sex offenders register. There are also two other offences related to this behaviour: Distribute an Intimate Image and Threaten to Distribute an Intimate Image.
Sexting is a crime if you intentionally distribute an intimate image of a person under 18 to others, even if they agree to the sext message being sent. You could also be charged by police with child pornography offences.
Youth who sext, compared to those who don't, were more likely to have multiple sexual partners, experience anxiety and depression, and drink alcohol, take drugs, and smoke. They were also less likely to use contraception. The associations were stronger in younger adolescents.
Common sexting risks include the possibility of being rejected or humiliated, having private intimate information spread to others, being pressured into sexting by others, or legal trouble (Chalfen, 2009; Jolicoeur & Zedlewski, 2010; Siegle, 2010).
Sexting means using your phone, computer, or camera to take or send sexy messages or images — usually selfies. You might think that sexting is just a harmless way to flirt or show your boyfriend or girlfriend that you're into them. But sexts can outlast your crush or even your relationship.
Sexting can include photos and videos containing nudity or showing simulated sex acts, but can also include text messages, private messages, or emails that discuss or propose sex acts. Not all sexting is harmful or addictive. Couples may exchange sexts as part of their romantic or sexual activity.
Some may sext as a joke, as a way of getting attention, or because of peer pressure. For others, though, it might be a part of their teenage sexual development — a way of flirting, seeming cool, or becoming popular. They may use sexting as a tool to bond or become more intimate with a sexual partner.
This is because a sexually explicit photographs of a person under 18 is considered child abuse material or child pornography.
Sexting is a fantastic way to show your crush that you're thinking about him and want to be with him, but doing it right isn't nearly as simple as you would believe. You have to be witty, playful and charming in just a sentence or two, and once sent, there's no way to take a text back.
In Australia we know that 1 in 3 young people aged 14 – 17 years have had some experience with sexting.
The act of sexting can be consensual and is not itself a sign of abuse. However, an abuser could use photographs, videos, or messages shared through sexting to maintain power and control over you. For example, the abuser may later threaten to share these images or may actually share them with others.
Ask Who or What Led Your Child to Sext
Often, teens send sexual messages because of peer pressure and blackmail. They may also believe sexting is a healthy way to flirt. During the process, it's crucial only to ask relevant questions. That may help your child feel comfortable enough to share the reasons.
While a 17-year-old can legally consent to sexual activity and legally send sexually explicit images to someone within two years of their age, they cannot send sexual images to someone 20-years-old or older.
But just because it's common and you may do it frequently, it doesn't necessarily mean your relationship is any better because of it. As a new research published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior found, too much sexting can actually mean trouble for your relationship, even if it boosts your sex life.
The Risks of Sexting
As they click “send”, most young people aren't considering the future, but sexting can easily come back to affect future career choices or lead to dangerous sexual exploitation. It can even lead to “Sextortion” (using sexual content to blackmail someone).
File a police complaint and take legal action
If this person continues to send you this content, then do not hesitate to file a police complaint against that individual.
Sexting can certainly be considered a form of cheating, as it typically betrays the trust and intimacy within a committed relationship.
It is a crime to take a sexual, nude or partly nude picture or video of anyone— regardless of their age—without their permission. If you take or share or threaten to take or share a nude or sexy pic without someone's consent, the maximum penalty is 3 years jail.