The Growing Trend of Sexting Among Children and Teens

Cell phones are common objects found in the pockets and bags of almost everyone one in the world. Recently, cell phones have been getting teens and adults into trouble. Most individuals send and receive text messages. The newest trend among some individuals is “sex-texting” or “sexting.” Sexting is a dangerous yet contagious phenomenon contaminating the lives of teens and adults all over the country, if not the world. This phenomenon can have serious consequences. Even after surveying 1300 teenagers, one in five say they’ve sexted, although they know that it could be a crime (Feyerick and Steffen). Sexting is a growing epidemic and the only way to prohibit its growth is to develop close relationships with the kids of today’s society.

Sexting is an issue that many people are still unclear on. Sexting is the exchanging of nude or seminude pictures or videos by cell phones (Hewitt and Driscoll). These media files can be exchanged by teens as young as 11 to married adults in their 40s. Sexting can hold serious consequences, such as being charged with child pornography, having to register in the sex offenders list, and even facing jail time (Hewitt and Driscoll). Even after knowing the gravity of the consequences, people continue to sext. The reason behind this phenomenon is still a mystery. Some believe that some individuals want to sext in order to gain the attention that they aren’t getting from significant other. A woman who had participated in sexting even claimed that a man she sexted with made her feel wanted (Tapper). The same article states that men believe “if you get a woman to send you a naked picture, you’re cool. It’s an ego boost.” Although many know sexting can be a crime, many individuals who sext do it to feel wanted and to get the attention that they’ve always wanted.

Once women have the attention they want, sexting helps these ladies out even more. Not only can sexting get attention, but it can also be used as a tool to get a man interested, if not already interested. A woman who has sexted before claimed that sexting is just another tool in the arsenal to flirting (Tapper). In that same article, another woman said that sexting “lets your inner woman out. (With your cell phone) you can be the freakiest, dirtiest and most sexually uninhibited woman around.” This same woman also claimed that sexting is “another tool in the arsenal to stay on his mind 24/7” (Tapper). Teenagers see sexting as high-tech flirting as well (Kingston). Sexting isn’t just something to do while bored or to get attention, but it’s also used to stay on the mind of his or her lover all the time.

Although it is a useful tool to get on someone’s mind, sexting can alter, if not destroy, the perception of how we look at the human body. It can be a piece of beauty that we should care for, or it can be a piece of garbage that we can toss to whomever we’d like. Sexting is degrading the image of the body. Kids and even some adults need to know about the importance and beauty of the body. If we teach the sexting population about how to care and respect the body, then maybe we can decrease the amount of people sexting (Rede). But, part of the problem with this solution is that some individuals fell they already know about the importance of the body and they don’t think that way. Instead, they feel that they should share it with the rest of the world via cell phone. One in five teenagers sext although they know about the body and of the possible consequences (Feyerick and Steffen). Teaching about the beauty and importance of the body won’t stop sexting. Although individuals know of the consequences and the beauty, they continue to sext anyway.

Along with teaching people about the body, we should teach the members of the sexting community how to make good choices and be a good human being. In order to be a good human being and to make good choices, we need to give the youth something to look up to. There is an old saying that states, “Children are great imitators, so give they something great to imitate” (Rede). I think this quote speaks the truth. As a kid growing up, I always looked up to my mom and dad, and I feel like they are a huge part of who I am today. If I didn’t look up to them, I might be a completely different person. If we give kids and teenagers something good to look up to, it can influence their choices as adults, and it can lessen the amount of people sexting and getting caught. If we give kids a good image to look up to, they won’t make bad choices that can get them into trouble.

Kids looking up to good examples set by parents, family, and even friends might not be enough. Along with setting good examples, we should introduce the youth, and maybe some of the adults, to appropriate media that won’t tempt people to make bad choices. Our society is intoxicated by violence and sex, and these stimuli only make teens want to engage in activities including violence and sex. Kids are bombarded by sexual images, beginning at a young age, which makes them think this is how people communicate with each other (Rede). As kids are growing up, they are beginning to watch MTV and VH1. These two channels air programs that aren’t appropriate for some kids. Some of these shows include “Frank the Entertainer in a Basement Affair”, “A Shot at Love”, and “Jersey Shore”, all of which include fighting and other antics. If these two channels were cancelled or had a parental block placed on them, then kids wouldn’t be influenced by what seems to be a glamorous life. These kids wouldn’t be tempted with sexual things. A healthy environment for kids to grow up in could make a big difference in their actions in the future. If kids see the values that we want them to see, then they might be making smart choices, instead of sexting and possibly getting charged with child pornography.

Healthy environments, along with teaching self respect and being a good role model, help develop closer relationships with kids, and will hopefully stop the sexting craze. All of the solutions I suggested will work in a way because these solutions will teach people something about values and the importance of the body. I think the most viable solution is the suggestion about making a healthier environment. I believe that introducing kids to a healthy environment will get the better results over setting good examples and sitting down with kids to tell them about the importance and beauty of the body, because the influence is coming from all around, and not just directly. Sexting can be a detriment for the image of adults and teens in the long run. Jail time is a probable result, and even the very rare occasion of torment and death. Building close relationships with teens will help thwart these severe effects from befalling on the youth of today’s society. Sexting can cause trouble, and, if caught, can hold grim outcomes. If we really want this madness to come to an end, parents must create close relationships with their children.