Teens could face steep consequences for 'sexting'

She was 16 and in love. She sent the photo on her cell phone, believing it was just between her and her boyfriend.

He pushed "send," too. Now all his friends on the football team see what he saw, what she didn't intend for anyone else to see: her topless picture.

It's just another case of "sexting," and a growing number of teens are all too familiar with the technology used to send X-rated messages, according to educators and law enforcement officials. By definition, sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.

With three-quarters of teens reporting that they use cell phones, sexting is on the rise, researchers say. Local educators say Southeast Missouri schools are dealing with the issue more frequently with the spread of technology.

"And I'm sure it happens certainly more frequently than we are aware," said Mike Cowan, principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

Cowan said such incidents typically occur off campus and out of the control of the school. Students who violate the school's technology code lose their computer privileges and, depending on the offense, could face detention or suspension. Legal consequences could be more severe. Missouri law basically considers sexting to be sending child pornography, a felony.

Recent research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds 4 percent of children between 12 and 17 who own cell phones have sent a sexually suggestive, nude or nearly nude image of themselves by phone. Other studies show higher rates among teens. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy in a 2008 report found 22 percent of teen girls and 18 percent of teen boys have used technology to send or post nude or seminude pictures or video of themselves to other people.

In the Pew interviews, many teens said they are involved in a romantic relationship with someone and the images are sent in lieu of or as part of sexual activity, but that the "sexts" never leave the relationship.

Many others said the photos do end up being shared. Some teens said they sent sexually explicit pictures as a way to hook up.

"There are horror stories about people who have had bad things happen to them, about images that got out into the wild where parents or educators saw them," said Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist for the Pew Research Center. "But there are kids who say 'sexting is something I do in a relationship and that it's nobody's business as long as trust and respect are maintained.'"

mkittle@semissourian.com

388-3627

By the numbers

* 4 percent of children between 12 and 17 who own cell phones have sent a sexually suggestive, nude or nearly nude image of themselves by phone.

* 15 percent of cell phone owners in the same age group have received such sexual images

* 8 percent of 17-year-olds have sent sexual images, while 30 percent have received them