Taking sexting seriously
Here is a link to a column originally published in November, 2019, in several APG of East Central Minnesota newspapers.  The column urges that we must “Take Sexting Seriously”
The column cites research and urges that families help youngsters understand the potential short, medium and long term impact of sending pictures of what used to be called “Private parts” to others.
December 1, 2019 @ 7:51 pm
what a hard fall our youth have taken from the decorum we once knew, many years ago. Not that there weren’t problems, but they were far fewer.
Self-respect has now been replaced with anything goes. Sadly, It’s usually the woman or girl who suffers most from these sexual aberrations and abuses.
Yes, the cellphones make sexting possible, but they need a vulnerable youngster to make that choice. The deeper issue is re-establishing relationships where each is valued, not used or abused.
I wish there were some answers to this terrible treatment of each other among our youth. I honestly haven’t a clue, short of a return to moral and religious standards. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
December 2, 2019 @ 11:02 am
Thanks, Joe, for sharing this. Hopefully the Minnesota Student Survey will update their questions to learn more about online behavior including online bullying, sexual references and sexting. It is important to stay up to date.
https://www.health.state.mn.us/data/mchs/surveys/mss/singleyr/index.html
December 3, 2019 @ 5:48 pm
Sexting is quite an issue even at a semi-rural school like mine in a relatively conservative area. It has a ripple effect like most issues our 12-18 year olds are dealing with daily. It is tragic because social media never lets go. Like so many other problems facing young people, this one has to have all hands on deck to resolve it – home/family, schools, and other concerned agencies. Great info and insight as usual, Joe.