What You Need to Know About Sexting

In 2016, Governor Susana Martinez signed a bill into law that makes it legal for teenagers 14 to 18 to consensually sext each other, according to The Guardian. This means that if young people are “caught” sharing sexually explicit photos, they aren’t at risk of getting charged with child pornography. They also won’t risk facing a prison sentence or having a mark on their criminal record.

It’s important to remember that this is only legal if both parties are knowingly and voluntarily exchanging these images, and no one is being coerced into doing so. It also good to remember that this does not make it legal to share explicit photos with other people besides the two consenting parties involved, online, on social media, or websites.

It’s good that teens aren’t in danger of a prison sentence or getting a mark on their criminal record for engaging in consensual sexting, but it’s important to also acknowledge that there are other potential harms that can come from sexting.

 Many teenagers aren’t aware of the possible dangers of sexting such as:

• Emotional back fire
• Photos shared openly with others that you did not consent to
• Embarrassment
• Can be used later in the form of revenge

Even though it may not be a prosecutable offense in some instances, it’s still important to assess the risk of sexting and do what you can to reduce it. Many people engage in sexting, and that’s ok, as long as it’s consensual. You and your friends may continue to sext. The hope is that you make the decision to do so with care and consideration of the possible consequences.

Scarleteen.com is a great blog that talks about sexuality for pre-teens and beyond. In a Q&A, the blog addressed whether sexting was a healthy part of self-expression for teens. “When we’re looking at whether or not something is healthy, we need to look at and ask about individual motives. Is someone doing it to freely express themselves or share reciprocal (and I’d say that’s important) levels of intimacy with a partner? Is it coming from a place, for them, that feels positive? Does it feel authentic, liberating, freeing? Is it a choice being made informedly when it comes to the risks? Are there some smart boundaries, including firm agreements about privacy? If so, I’d say we’re probably looking at healthy behavior.”

These, along with the legal implications of sexting, are important to consider before you start.

Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash