Effects of Teen Sexting Far Beyond the Sheer Numbers

Many teenagers, and even pre-teens as young as age ten are involved in sexting. Most of them, as well as their parents, don’t fully realize the possible consequences.

Rising to the top of parental worries are those inflicted by social media interaction, and sexting among teens remains an area where parents are encouraged to be very vigilant and aware, as addressed in numerous articles.

Research estimates that of a phone survey involving more than 1,500 preteens and teens up to age 17, more than seven percent had gotten a sexted message on their phone or email. Nearly ten percent had sent the message themselves, or created the message.

While the actual numbers may not seem overly intimidating at first glance, the consequences of sexting are severe:

– In many states, a teen who sends sexted message can be charged with child pornography charges which can remain on their record for years, or even a lifetime.

– Sexual predators are ultra-aware of strategies and tools to get teens who sext to reveal information about their name, location and other personal information in their pursuit of a meet-up.

– Images and information shared online remain in circulation indefinitely, and can be shared exponentially across numerous sources – even becoming a cause of great regret years after the incident.

– Cyber-bullying and sexting are real threats to teens, with teens in surveys admitting they had been bullied with threats of sharing their sexted images with parents or across social media.

– Research suggests as many as 50 percent of teens who sext are engaging in real-world sexual behaviors.

Sexting has also been connected with the way teens view themselves, both personally and sexually, and can harm or alter self-perceptions for years into adulthood.