“I just caught my teen sexting. What do I do?”
Sexting is sharing sexually explicit images via digital devices. If it is any consolation, your teen is not the only doing it. According to a 2018 study, more than 1 in 4 teens says that they have received a sext and 1 in 7 say that they have sent one.
What to do if you have caught your teen sexting?
- Tell your teen that you understand his curiosity about sex and his need to experiment with it but that it is really important that he does it safely. And sexting is not safe because you never know where those images can end up. Even if they are sexting with their girlfriend or boyfriend and they totally trust them, we never know what may happen with those images if they go through a bad breakup. Also, phones may be stolen, and many apps have a way for a third party to screengrab.
- Advise them not to send any more sexts and to delete immediately any sext he receives.
- Ask him to tell you if someone is pressuring them to sext. If this is the case, he should take a screenshot of the requests or threats and report it to the police.
- It is important for him to understand that in many countries, it is illegal for under 18s to sext. It is considered child pornography even when it is done between two consenting teens. Some states in the U.S. have prosecuted teens for consensually sexting other teens and they have been placed on the sex offenders register.
- Do not judge your teen. Listen to what they have to say from a place of understanding and empathy.
- Do not freak out and try to stay calm.
- Keep the communication lines open about anything sex related. This is just not about discussing it once, we need to keep discussing sexting and any other sex-related topic. If you mess up any conversation, you can always revisit it the next day.
I know how uncomfortable discussing sex can be but it is really important that we talk about these issues. We want our children to have reliable information from people who love them, and that is us! I hope this information is helpful. Let me know how you get on!
Love,
Ana
