When it comes to teens “sexting” some of the newest data out there suggests it isn’t only common, it may be likely that teens are sending sexually explicit pictures and messages to one another.
An undergrad survey from Drexel University in 2014 found more than half of the respondents admitted they had sexted in some form while in high school. Another study, from Southern Illinois University, found about a fourth, 24%, of underage high-school students sent nude photos.
Sexting is a problem that’s grown with the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices in the last decade. It’s a national issue group like the National Center on Sexual Exploitation closely monitor. Officials there warn parents and kids bad things can happen when sending inappropriate images– even to a trusted person.
“Internet Watch Foundation found that 88% of ‘sexts’ are essentially stolen from the original location,” said Haley Halverson, Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach at NCSE.
When it comes to law enforcement, officers face a different issue– how to prosecute. Some states, like Texas, have specific laws forbidding sexting images among minors. Iowa doesn’t. Instead of facing a misdemeanor offense, like in the Lone Star State, an underage teen in the Hawkeye State could face a felony charge for having or distributing child pornography.
“I don’t think the kids realize the severity of their actions,” said Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner. “I think they think they’re just being cute.”
Sheriff Gardner said his officers typically get involved in a sexting case if contacted by a school district or concerned parents. Often, he said, things don’t get to the felony level.
A lot of times officials choose to inform instead of prosecuting. Members of the Linn County Attorney’s Office have even started traveling to area schools to show a PowerPoint, cautioning students of the troubles they could face if caught sexting or sharing inappropriate images.
It’s become a constant battle to educate as more and more seem to sext.
“The technology is ever evolving,” said Gardner. “I don’t see this problem going away very soon, quite honestly.”
