From all of the news we hear about the span and scope of digital dangers available to youth, it's clear that parents have every right to be worried about the types of activities teens are engaging in online and through phones. It's natural for any parent to be concerned about what their child could be getting into. Although teens may be disgruntled by it, parents have a responsibility to be aware of what is going on and prevent mistakes from being made in kids' digital lives.
The Rise Of Sexting
If you haven't heard of sexting already, you probably will in the near future. Sexting is sending or receiving a sexually graphic or descriptive text message. Studies show that teen sexting is on the rise and many parents are wholly unaware of it.
Quick facts about sexting:
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11% of teens admit they’ve sent pictures to strangers (Cox Communications)
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80% of teens who have sexted are under the age of 18 (Cox Communications)
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Over half (57%) of teens from a 2012 survey reported that they had been asked to send a sext (JAMA)
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12% of teen girls feel pressured to sext (The National Campaign)
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38% of teen girls and 39% of teen boys say they have had sexually suggestive text messages or emails—originally meant for someone else—shared with them (The National Campaign)
Plus, according to research, those teens who are sexting or propositioned to send a sext are more likely than their peers to have sexual intercourse.
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