A hot topic in many parents’ social circles at the moment is sexting, but what is sexting?
Sexting is the act of sending photographs of yourself naked or semi-naked by using electronic means.
It also involves sending flirtatious or sexual messages to others, often using acronyms and abbreviations.
The SAPS have shared some of the dangers of sexting and tips for parents on how they can protect their children from this ever-growing trend.
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Some of the dangers of sexting:
• Loss of control: Once an image, message or video has been shared, the sender has lost all control of where or how it will be distributed.
• Humiliation: The humiliation caused by having explicit content circulated can be devastating.
In some tragic cases, the level of despair and shame has led people to serious self-harm and even suicide.
• “Sextortion”: A combination of the words “sex” and “extortion” whereby extortionists or blackmailers have leveraged power over their victim or victims with their knowledge of their indiscretions or the possession of compromising images and communications.
There is no shortage of “sextortionists” hoping to leverage their victims’ sexual content for their own financial or sexual benefit.
• Legal consequences: Sexually explicit photographs, videos and communications even when sent between individuals under the age of 18 are classified as child pornography and the taker of the image, the recipient of the image and anyone who shares the content may be charged and found guilty of crimes including the production and distribution of child pornography.
• Social consequences: These can include humiliation, bullying and cyberbullying.
• Physical consequences: Sexual content can increase the likelihood of becoming a victim of physical abuse.
These images can end up on the internet and in the hands of paedophiles.
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Typically, sexting takes place in private and is, therefore, difficult to prevent, but there are some safety tips to help you deal with the situation:
• Knowledge is power, keep up-to-date with the latest internet trends and social media applications and how they function.
• Talk to your mobile phone operator about filtering software to block inappropriate content and websites.
• Learn the common acronyms children use online and in text messages.
• Become involved in your child’s social media life.
• Talk to your child about the dangers of sexting, including the legal implications.
Remember that sexting or flirtatious messages are common in text messaging and teens often use acronyms to hide what they are saying from parents.
Here is a list of some of the most commonly used acronyms (warning these terms are of a sexual nature):
8 – Oral sex.
143 – I love you.
cu46 – See you for sex.
DUM – Do you masturbate?
GNOC – Get naked on camera.
GYPO – Get your pants off.
GNRN – Get naked right now.
IWS – I want sex.
RUH – Are you horny?
TDTM – Talk dirty to me.
S2R – Send to receive.
NIFOC – Naked in front of computer.
SorG – Straight or gay?
JO – Jerk off.
PAW – Parents are watching.
PIR – Parent in room.
POS – Parent over shoulder.
YWS – You want sex?
WYCM – Will you call me?
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