How Many Teens Really Send Sext Messages and Why?

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How Many Teens Really Send Sext Messages and Why?

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca 905-319-1488

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Sexting is all the rage with teenagers these
days, largely due to advances in technology. If
you think back to when you were a teen, you
didnt have access to a smartphone with a camera,
social media or other such apps. The best we had
was instant messaging, which provided anonymity,
so we could pretend to be anyone we wanted and no
one would know the difference.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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However, with text and picture messaging, teens
today no longer have this sense of anonymity, so
they are encouraged by their peers to take bigger
risks and put it all out there. Unfortunately,
most teens do not think beyond the instant
gratification they receive or experience when
they send a sext message to another.

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  905-319-1488

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They dont realize the person they send the
message and images to may not even want to see
that sort of thing. In addition, soliciting
partially naked and nude images from another
individual, whether male or female, is considered
sexual harassment. You wouldnt walk up to your
co-worker and ask them to text you a picture of
them half naked and not expect there to be
consequences.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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The biggest mistake parents can make is thinking
their teen would never send or receive a sext
message. Think again because the number of
teenagers sexting has grown significantly over
the past decade.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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Back in 2008 a tech survey was conducted by The
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy and Cosmo Girl Magazine to determine
the prevalence of sexting in 13 to 26 year olds.1

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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The results of the survey were rather surprising.
At that time, 20 of teens said they had sent or
posted partially naked or fully naked videos and
pictures of themselves. Furthermore, 39 of all
teens said they had sent sexually suggestive
messages using text or emojis.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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You might also be surprised to learn 22 of
teenaged girls had posted or sent semi-naked or
fully naked pictures, compared to only 18 of
teenaged boys. While 40 of teen boys sent
sexually explicit text/emoji messages, compared
to 37 of teen girls.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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Yet remember this survey was conducted back in
2008 when smartphone technologies were just
starting. A more recent Kinsey study survey that
was conducted globally in 2017 found that the
number of people sexting had grown
significantly.2

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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This survey discover that 67 of all respondents
are sexting. Keep in mind this study focuses on
teens and adults, but does shed light that the
number of teens sexting has also increased since
2008.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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The drastic increase shows that teens and young
adults today have grown accustomed to using
technology as part of our daily lives. Many
believe that sexting is just an extension of
dating rituals to let someone else know they like
them, as well as a way to liven up their existing
relationships.

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488

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However, sexting can have serious consequences
for both teens and adults, which we will discuss
further in our next months blog article. If you
are having problems talking about sexting with
your teenager or other parenting concerns, please
feel free to contact Bayridge Counselling Centres
at 905-319-1488 today! Sources
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teens-really-send-sext-messages-and-why/

• www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca
  905-319-1488