top of page

𝗡𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗞𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚

Writer's picture: Fendo UKFendo UK


 

Maybe you or someone you know has been tempted in the past to send naked pictures or videos of yourself, perhaps to a friend’s mobile, on a webcam, or on social media.

Some people call this “sexting”, “cybersex” or “sending a nudie”. This makes it sound exciting and fun.

𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 " 𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚"!.

All images can be saved or ‘screen grabbed’ by the person receiving it – even if you think you are using a private network or a temporary message app like Snapchat.

Once a photo is shared online, you have lost all control of it and it will be virtually impossible for you to undo. Even if you change your mind and delete the photo you uploaded, other people may have already shared or copied the image. This puts you at risk of abuse or exploitation by others.


𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘…

Sending videos or pictures of yourself to people you don’t know is dangerous.

Sometimes abusers will pretend to be your age. You may think you are sexting with people you think are your friends and people you can trust.

The truth is, anyone you send a photo to can take advantage of you for doing it – even people you know in real life, including so-called ‘friends’ in your year group.

Abusers will flirt with you, Flatter you, make you feel really special – all in an effort to earn your trust and make you think they are your friend. They will start conversations with you about sex and convince you it’s good to talk to them about it too.

If you’re feeling down or unloved, they will boost your self-esteem and try to earn your trust. But the truth is you can’t trust them. They are exploiting you and abusing you, but before you realise this, it may be too late.


𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗘….

Yes, it might.

There were more than 1,200 ChildLine counselling sessions that mentioned ‘sexting’ last year.

Police have had many distressing cases where a young person has shared a sexual image of themselves with someone they thought they could trust. That person has then saved the image and used it to blackmail and exploit the victim into sending them more images, demanding money from them, bullying them, demanding they perform sexual acts for them – this is exploitation and it is extremely traumatic for the victim.

Sadly, most young people do not see a problem with sexting and it is becoming normal behaviour for children to share indecent images or content.

Even if you think you can trust the person you are sexting with, you have no idea what they are doing with the photos or videos you send them, or who else is looking at them.


𝗜 𝗖𝗔𝗡'𝗧 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗜?

Although it may be very common, sexting can be illegal.

If you are under 18 and you take part in sexting by creating an explicit photo of yourself, you have potentially created an indecent image of a child.

If you send the image to someone else, you have then distributed an indecent image of a child.

If you are the one receiving the image, you are then in possession of an indecent image of a child.


𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗪

Sending or sharing indecent images of anyone who is under 18 – or keeping an image someone sends you – is a serious crime.

"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩".

This is the case even if the person sharing the image with you is happy to do so or you are happy to send nude selfies to someone else.

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!

When things go wrong online, many young people are afraid, embarrassed or ashamed to tell someone in case they have their phones taken off them or they are wrongly judged. This only allows the abuse to continue.

But the good news is that help is available. If something does go wrong online, don’t suffer in silence. It’s not your fault. If you’re too embarrassed to tell your mum or dad, or you’re worried you will get in trouble, you can:

Talk to a trusted adult

Contact ChildLine online or on 0800 1111


𝗕𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘

When you are online on your phone, tablet, games console, or computer, always remember that there are people who will use the technology to exploit and abuse you.

Make sure you are aware of the dangers, and know how to keep safe online.

Always be wary of people you don’t know who try to make friends with you on social networks, game sites or instant messaging apps.

There’s no guarantee they are who they say they are and you should never tell them anything personal about yourself.

There are some really useful resources that can give you further advice and help if you are being exploited or think you know someone else that is such as:

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗨𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 – sex, relationships and the internet. Three things that get a little bit complicated.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 – online and mobile safety advice.


𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗧

If you’re worried that you’ve shared images of yourself that you shouldn’t, or you want to get an indecent image of yourself removed from the internet, you can get help from ChildLine.

They can contact the Internet Watch Foundation on your behalf.


DJN

Fendo UK

5 views
bottom of page