Do you know the negative effects of sexting and how it can affect your life and your family members if these messages get into the wrong hands – or worse, are published on social media?
Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit pictures or flirtatious or sexual messages to others, often using acronyms, using an electronic device.
Sexting can have dangerous consequences. You should be aware that it is no longer a joke when the sexted images are shared by thousands of people, and for young people, it can have devastating effects and possibly ruin their futures.
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Roodepoort Police’s acting station commander, Colonel Happy Xaba, has shared some of the dangerous consequences you can suffer from sexting.
“Once an image, message or video has been shared, the sender has lost all control of where or how it will be used. The humiliation caused by having your explicit content broadcast can be devastating. In some tragic cases, the level of despair and shame has led to serious self-harm and even suicide,” Xaba said.
There is also a thing called ‘sextortion’ which is a combination of sex and extortion. Extortionists and blackmailers have always leveraged their knowledge of others’ indiscretions or their possession of compromising images and communications.
“There is no shortage of ‘sextortionists’ hoping to use their victim’s sexual content for their own financial or sexual benefit,”said Xaba.
He also shed light on the legal consequences of the sexually explicit photographs, videos and communications.
“Even when the explicit sexual content is shared between minors under the age of 18, it may be classified as child pornography, and the taker of the image, its recipient and anyone who shares the content, may be charged and found guilty of a crime.
“Sexting can also have a negative impact on your social life. Victims can be humiliated, bullied (both actual and cyber-bullying), and sexual content can also increase the likelihood of becoming a victim of physical abuse. The images can end up on the internet and in the hands of paedophiles.
“You need to protect yourself from being victimised. Never share, copy or download the sexually explicit images in any way. If someone asks you to send a naked picture of yourself or to participate in sexting, ask them to stop or do not reply at all. If they continue to bother you, making you feel upset, block them. If any adult has been making you do things you feel uncomfortable with, such as asking you to share pictures of yourself online or by text, tell an adult you can trust about it, so that you can get help.”
