Sexting: Spare the rod, educate the child
Adolescents experiment and explore, albeit in a different fashion than a generation ago when social media was unheard of
TO simply punish adolescents who are found guilty of ‘sexting’ – the sending of a photograph of yourself naked or semi-naked or taking explicit images of an adult or teacher using electronic means – is not a solution.
Our young people are facing real threats in an ever-changing internet age. Parents and schools already educate our children about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and sex.
The time has come to do the same concerning the dangers of social media, especially sexting.
A large percentage of young people do not know the damaging impact sexting can have on their lives.
The damage done to these adolescents is inconceivable.
Research has shown that while the pictures are often initially posted with the consent of the subject, once these pictures go viral online, the adolescents are within hours exposed to millions of viewers, leaving them in immense distress, embarrassed, humiliated and deeply ashamed, even to the point of committing suicide.
Adolescents experiment and explore, albeit in a different fashion than a generation ago when social media was unheard of.
Teachers and SGBs need to find a way to educate them about the Constitution, responsible use of social media, their own and others’ right to privacy, the harm that can befall themselves and their counterparts.
The simple message is that it is illegal to produce and share ‘any image, however created, or any description or representation of a person, real or simulated, who is depicted, made to appear, look like, represented or described or presented as being under the age of 18 years of an explicit or sexual nature, whether such image or description or presentation is intended to stimulate erotic or aesthetic feelings or not’, as stated in the Films and Publications Act (FPAct) and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act (SOAct).
Punishment
Pupils found guilty of sexting should be punished, but not expelled from schools, based on their lapse in behaviour by using social media irresponsibly.
Most are oblivious to the bill of rights in the constitution that spells out the parameters of our rights within a constitutional democracy.
Studies done by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) and the Youth Research Unit of the Bureau of Market Research at the University of South Africa (UNISA) revealed that:
46.8% of young people between ages 12 – 24 years had experienced some form of cyber bullying;
69.7% of respondents (as above) who admitted to have bullied others, have themselves been bullied;
21.46% of high school pupils had been approached with ‘unwanted talk about sex’;
17.79% had received emails or instant messages with advertisements or links to ‘X-rated’ websites;
16.95% opened messages or links with pictures of naked people or people having sex;
16.60% had been asked for sexual information about themselves;
14.27% were worried or felt threatened by online harassment;
9.90% had been asked to ‘do something sexual’; and
male adolescents were more likely to engage in unsafe online activities.
These statistics make it clear that adolescents must be taught to protect themselves.
They need to say NO to sharing, copying or downloading sexually explicit images,
no matter who asks them, and despite peer pressure.
Without guidance these children are unable to fully comprehend the full negative impact of their actions.
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