MERIDEN, Conn. — Sexting among teens. Something that some teens may see as safe an innocent but is far from it. Those intimate photos can be rapidly shared without one’s consent having traumatic consequences.
"There really is no intimacy. It can go out to the public in no time at all," said Dr. Laura Saunders. A licensed Psychologist for the Hartford Healthcare's Institute of Living. "Let’s remind teenagers that what they do via their phones and social media is actually not private at all."
That reminder coming from an expert as the Meriden Police Department reports a rise in sexting among juveniles in the city. The act of sharing sexually explicit photos, even from one juvenile to another, is a transmission of child pornography and is punishable by the law.
Often times these images shared without one's consent could be used to harass or bully the subject. Dr. Saunders says anytime situations like these arise it’s an important time to remind children of the consequences of sexting.
"They have this invincibility to them believe about themselves and nothing that’s going to happen to them, but they engage in behaviors that can be considered very high risk," said Dr. Saunders.
Dr. Saunders believes parents, teachers and coaches should be having difficult conversations about relevant issues with teens not only at home but in the classroom. Sharing private information and content of any kind can be detrimental to a child.
"The more we talk about real life things, the more relevant it is to our young people," said Dr. Saunders.
Starting these kinds of difficult conversations with your child can be hard. To learn more about how to have those talks or learn about safety measures you can take to protect your child visit missingkids.org You can find information on Sexting, sextortion, and more.
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