Sexting or sending nudes can put you at risk of image-based abuse, which is the sharing of intimate images without your consent. It can also put you at risk of sexual extortion, a type of blackmail when someone threatens to share intimate images of you unless you give into their demands.
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).
Your child's social reputation -- extremely important in tween and teen years -- may be irrevocably damaged, and your child may end up being cyberbullied as a result. The shame and embarrassment surrounding a sexting-situation-gone-bad can lead your child to withdraw and not inform you of the situation or ask for help.
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.
For some people, sexting or sending sexually explicit material via digital devices can turn into an addiction. 1 While sexting addiction is not a diagnosable mental health condition, many experts say it can be part of sexual addiction and have a significant impact on daily functioning.
The consequences of sexting seem to affect boys and girls differently. It is usually more harmful for girls, as they tend to be at the receiving end of more insults and humiliation, thus damaging their reputation (Wood et al., 2015).
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.
Sexting can happen through sexually explicit text messages, provocative audio clips, suggestive selfies, or videos. No matter what form sexting takes, it should always be a consensual practice between two or more parties.
A 'groomer' is someone who makes an emotional connection with someone to try and make you do things like: have sexual conversations online or by text messages. send naked images of yourself, which is sometimes called sexting. send sexual videos of yourself.
Sexting is totally healthy and fun. So don't hesitate to give it a shot with your partner if you haven't done so yet.
In Australia we know that 1 in 3 young people aged 14 – 17 years have had some experience with sexting.
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.
It is most prevalent among those aged 15 and over, with 17% saying they had shared a nude or sexual photo of themselves. This increases in the mid-teens, from 4% at age 13 to 7% at age 14.
It Has Reputation Consequences
Sending sexually explicit messages to another person is never a good idea, no matter how serious the relationship. Photos like these can potentially damage or destroy reputations. For instance, the person receiving the photos might brag about them and show them to other people.
Sexting is a Federal Crime
But even when the photo or message in question is being sent to a friend, sexting still violates child pornography statutes. Convicted teens may even have to register as sex offenders.
Sexting can be considered to be worse than cheating because it involves both, a sexual act as well as emotional infidelity. Even if there is no physical contact, the fact that a person can build an intimate relationship, even if on the phone, with someone other than the person they are committed to is akin to cheating.
A new study has shown that sexting was associated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors. The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Sexting is defined as sending a sexually explicit image of oneself over text messaging.
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.
Sexual expression
They also use sexting as a form of flirting and as an incentive to start a relationship. Sexting can also be used to express one's sexuality (whereas some people might use fashion to highlight their femininity or masculinity, others might post sexting images online).
South Africa came out as the top sexting nation of the world.
The term sexting stand for a combination of sex and texting. Sexting is the act of sending sexual text messages. It often also involves sending nude or seminude photos and explicit videos of yourself.
Unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety can trigger sexting. Sexting can then provide a temporary escape into pleasurable feelings. However, over time a habit can develop into a compulsive obsession which often leads to relationships or careers that are jeopardized.
According to experts, the neurochemical ripples sexting creates in the human brain may also have something to do with its unwavering popularity. Sexting ignites dopamine, the “happy hormone,” and oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone” in the human brain — essentially inducing feelings we love, and perhaps, even crave.