Teens are sexting now more than ever. What is sexting? According to Wikipedia, “Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos, primarily between mobile phones.”
Why has sexting become so popular and how do teens view this type of behavior? As you might expect, there is a wide range of attitudes from those who think that sexting is just an innocent way to stay in touch with those who describe it as sinful and disgusting.
Is there something positive about sexting? According to some teens, sexting is a way of expressing your feelings, even graphically showing that you love another person. Some teens feel that sexting is safe because they cannot get pregnant and cannot get a sexually transmitted disease. In sexting there is no physical contact.
For some teens, sexting has become a way for a young girl to get a boy’s attention. But if a boy or a girl is exchanging sexting messages with you, how do you know if that person is also exchanging these types of messages with other people? You don’t unless you have access to that person’s mobile phone.
If a girl sends pictures of her breasts to a boy she likes, how does she know that he is looking at the pictures himself? She does not do it. Many guys who receive these sexting messages are likely to share the images with their friends. Remember, some guys like to show off and show off. If you’re the one who sent those photos to the wrong guy, the images may be posted on the internet.
Some sexters think that these images are impersonal because they are just an image. But if it is a photo of you, in some compromising position or totally nude, it is not just a photo, it is erotic or even pornographic. And if someone over 18 is exchanging sexting images with someone under 18, there is a possibility of criminal charges.
Relationships have been challenged and destroyed only by a couple who discover that another man or woman is befriending their intimate partner on a social networking site like Facebook. Imagine how much more devastating it is for an intimate partner to discover one of these sexting images and a sensual and raunchy text to accompany the photo.
If a sexting image goes viral, it can never be recovered or deleted. What happens when that innocent “game” is discovered by a potential employer or a new client or client or their parents? The ramifications, later at totally unexpected times, can be quite self-destructive. Sexting may be just a phase that needs to be overcome, but the damaging aftermath can have long-lasting consequences.