What You SHould Know Abuot Sexting

What You SHould Know Abuot Sexting

Sexting is sending sexually explicit messages, primarily between mobile phones. It is a combination  of sex and texting, where the... 10:46

Sexting is sending sexually explicit messages, primarily between mobile phones. It is a combination  of sex and texting, where the latter is meant in the wide sense of sending a text possibly with images.


Sexting is very common among young people. Everyday you see explicit pictures on social media posted with title "guy posts nude picture of his girlfriend" or "leaked sex tape".

It is rather disheartening how many clicks such post gets. Why should I tarnish somebody's image just to generate traffic?. When was the last time you saw a  posts with captures like "Chidinma shows of her nude picture" or "You won't believe what Gim did in this video" and you actually ignored them. Why is it so important if any of these guys decides to actually do these things. Kim Kardashian is popular today thanks to a leaked sex tape.

WHY IT HAPPENS
Some teenagers send sexually explicit messages to flirt with someone they like. In other cases, a girl sends an explicit photo of herself because she is pressured by a boy to do so.

Sometimes a boy will mass forward an explicit photo of a girl either to entertain his friends or to retaliate after a breakup.

Whatever the cause, a teenager armed with a cell phone can get into a lot of trouble. “In the click of a button,” “lives are changed forever.”  
Many people fail to realize that once a photo goes into cyberspace, the sender loses control over how the photo will be used.

An 18-year-old girl “committed suicide after a nude photo she had transmitted via her cell phone to her boyfriend also was sent to hundreds of teenagers in her school. Other students, who apparently continued to forward the image, allegedly harassed the girl.”

Sexting also raises legal issues. In some places, for example, minors who have sent sexually explicit images to other minors have been charged with child-pornography offenses and have been required to register as sex offenders.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
As an adult, you can help talk the younger generation out of this ugly trend. help your teenager to reason on the problem. You could tell them: “There are many opinions as to what constitutes sexting. How would you define the term?” “What kinds of photos do you think are inappropriate?” “In some places the law considers a minor who sends a nude photo of a minor to be guilty of a crime. Do you think it’s that bad?” “Why would sexting be morally wrong?” Listen carefully to his or her reasoning, and help your teenager to think beyond the send button.—Bible principle: Hebrews 5:14.

Think beyond the send button
Present hypothetical scenarios. You could say to your daughter: “Suppose a girl is being pressured by a boy to ‘sext’ him. What should she do? Give in so that she does not lose the friendship? Refuse the request but flirt with him anyway? End the relationship? Tell an adult?” Help your daughter to reason on the matter. Of course, you can use a similar approach with a son.

Appeal to their sense of goodness. Ask questions such as these:
1. How important to you is a good reputation? 
2. What traits do you want to be known for?
3. How would you feel about yourself if you humiliated someone by forwarding an inappropriate picture? 
4. How would you feel if you took a stand for what is right? Help your teen to “hold a good conscience.”—1 Peter 3:16.

Set the example yourself. The Bible says that godly wisdom is chaste and free from hypocrisy. (James 3:17) Do your values reflect those words? “We need to set good examples ourselves and not view images and Web sites that could be viewed as unsavory or illegal,”

Suggestion
If talking about sexting will be awkward for you or your friend, you might try this approach:

First, have them talk about what others are doing. Then say: “I’ve heard a lot about sexting. Is this practice common?”

Next, find out how he or she feels about what others are doing. You could ask: “Do you think people grasp the consequences of sexting?”

Then, discuss what your teenager would do. Respond by saying: “Let’s talk about what you should do if you receive an explicit text.”

Tip: You could use a news report to start a discussion. For example: “I read about a girl whose explicit photo was forwarded all over her school. Does this kind of thing really happen?

Reference: http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/g201311/talk-to-your-teen-about-sexting/#?insight[search_id]=bd6ae030-4851-4d77-8d55-1318ee88b8e6&insight[search_result_index]=5