Despite dangers, teens still sext

 

Dosomething.org says nearly 40 percent of all teenagers have posted or sent sexually suggestive messages, but this practice is more common among boys than girls.

Other ways to get intimate with your significant other

• Go to the movies.
• Take your partner out to eat.
• Get healthy by going on a hike or a walk on the beach. 

In a survey of 273 McKinley High School students, 18 percent said they have participated in sexting.

“I think it [sexting] is something that is to be expected of some teenagers, and I don’t think it’s bad. It’s like you are exploring, ” freshman Erik Arana said.

“If…we were comfortable with each other then I probably would sext. There’s a sense of playfulness in it,” he said.

Sexting occurs when an individual sends sexually explicit photographs or messages via cell phone.

Sexting can have emotional and legal consequences. The majority of the youth were not aware of the consequences that come with underage sexting according to a survey by Drexel University.

According to uknowkids.com, emotional consequences of sexting can include experiencing embarrassment, objectification, guilt and feelings of hopelessness. Legal consequences can include criminal charges for child pornography, being registered as a sex offender and exposing parents to legal consequences.

In 2011 the Hawaii Internet Crimes Against Children task force arrested a 45 year old man in Kaneohe for sending explicit text messages and planning to meet up with a 13 year old.

In 2012 Hawaii made minor-to-minor sexting illegal.

Commentary on Hawaii Revised Statute 712-1215.6 said, “The legislature found that the electronic transmission of youth produced sexual pictures and videos was a growing problem, particularly because the images can be shared with many people almost instantaneously.”

According to dosomething.org, 40 percent of teenage girls sext as a joke, 34 percent sext to feel sexy and 12 percent feel pressured to do it. 

Several female students talked about feeling used.

“It could mess up a relationship because you never know if a person is using you,” freshman Shelbi Okumura said.

“A guy can use you for sex,” freshman Katricia De Leon said.

Junior Jasmine Cahill said teenage sexting is bad.

“I believe that it is absolutely ridiculous that teenagers can send sexual images to one another and that a cruel individual would have the audacity to upload these photos to social media,” she said.

Student Poll – Do you think minor-to-minor sexting should be illegal? Have you ever participating in sexting, by asking or sending?

This article was originally published on November 9, 2015. Language errors were corrected on November 13, 2015. 

This article placed second for news in the Public School Division of the 2016 Hawaii High School Journalism Awards Contest.