High school students sending a “sweet” or “sexy” surprise to their significant other could find themselves in another kind of surprise — a felony and possible jail time.
“Sexting,” or sending sexually explicit text messages, is something that one in five teens are doing, according to a survey by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. What may seem as a harmless act to some could actually land teenagers in prison, charged with a felony and on the sex offender registry for at least 20 years.
A recent presentation by the Irondequoit Police Department at Bishop Kearney High School explained to a group of approximately 540 students the consequences of the new electronic trend that is catching on with teenagers and young adults nationwide.
“I think it’s an extremely important and relative topic in this day and age,” Bishop Kearney Principal Julie Locey said. “While it may be an embarrassing topic, I think it’s absolutely important to talk to them about.”
The police department stressed to students that they could be legally charged with a crime if caught sexting. Sending a sexually explicit picture message through electronic media to a minor, or of a minor, is illegal and the sender could face child pornography charges. It’s a class D felony to disseminate indecent material to minors in the first degree if the message is sent to a minor. Other crimes — such as aggravated harassment, obscenity and sexual misconduct — could also be tacked on to the sender’s criminal history if convicted.
“People think ‘oh, this is just a foolish thing,’ but the charge and punishment can be quite severe,” Monroe County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer John Helfer said.
The sexting phenomenon has spread like wildfire in high schools. A national study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy shows that 39 percent of teens say it’s common for peers to send sexually suggestive messages, which can include partial or full nude pictures. But more than that — 44 percent — say it’s common for those photos to be shared with people who were not the intended recipients.
“Don’t have any expectation of privacy when you do these things,” Irondequoit community services officer Lisa Storer said. “Do you honestly think they don’t share it with their friends? Do you honestly want that spread all over school?”
Teens who are sending pictures of themselves or passing along pictures they had received are sending them to keep or get a guy or girl’s interest or to be flirtatious, according to the study. However, even if the photos are sent in an innocent way, it’s not the meaning behind that photo that plays into the criminal side.
“It’s not always how you intend the message,” Storer said, “it’s how the receiver perceives it.”
The police department’s presentation stressed that messages, once out of the hands of the creator, are no longer anonymous, nor are they in your control.
“Nothing’s anonymous in cyberspace,” Storer said. “A friend equated it as if you’re out on the firing range. You can’t get that bullet back once it’s gone. You can’t take that back. Anything you send will not remain private.”
Lindsi Flynn, 16, of Webster is a junior at Bishop Kearney. The sexting seminar at school was not the first time she had heard about the trend.
“I think it’s become commonplace,” she said. “You hear about it a lot. I always say ‘that’s disgusting,’ but a lot of people are OK with it. People need to have self respect. If you’re out somewhere, you’re not going to go out in your bra and underwear. You have no self respect if you walk out with nothing on, so why would you send a picture that way?”
Most students at the Irondequoit Police Department’s presentation seemed surprised by the end of the presentation, peppering Storer with questions.
“It was surprising to hear that when you receive it, you have to call the police,” Emily Coyle, 16, of North Chili said. Coyle is a sophomore at Bishop Kearney. “I’ve never heard that before, and I don’t think people will do it. But I think people should be scared of how far it can go, so fast.”
Donna Dedee, the president at Bishop Kearney high school and mother of 15-year-old Eddie Doyle of Penfield, says parents need to address sexting with their children in order to stress the consequences.
“Children are bombarded with images, information and opportunity,” she said. “What once was unheard of is now acceptable, or perceived to be so. Children have free rein over their technology. Parents are sometimes oblivious to how and why and in what context it’s being used.”
As the activity becomes more commonplace, both in and out of school hours, schools are learning how to deal with the relatively new phenomenon. In most schools, phones are banned during the school day or class time and will be taken away for the day if students are caught using their phone or electronic device.
“This is a phenomenon that extends beyond the school district with the advent of electronic communication,” said Neil Flood, supervisor of safety and security for the Webster district. “Sexting extends beyond the school day, it’s a community-wide effort. It’s not strictly a 7:30 to 2:30 issue, it extends well beyond those hours.”
Health classes in the Webster, East Irondequoit and Penfield districts are talking with their students about sexting, Internet safety and cyber bullying. While the trend is increasing, school administrators say students are understanding the severity of sexting consequences.
“I think as a general rule, they recognize the dangers involved,” Flood said. “This is something any school administrator or principal would be concerned about and investigate, and take the appropriate steps. We’re obviously opposed to it and take it very seriously.”
