"As a psychological scientist who studies sexting, I've had people ask me for all kinds of sexting advice and facts, from "How can I prevent my images from being used against me?" to "How does sexting affect young people?" to "Am I weird or what?" A quick Google search doesn't always help with these questions, returning sexting tips and tricks from Cosmo ("60 hot sexting ideas for your inspiration") adjacent to headlines like "Can sexting get you arrested?" from Teen Vogue."
"The conversational fervor around sexting has risen alongside its everyday popularity; five times as many adults in the U.S. are sending sexts today as compared to 2014 (Statista, 2023). As a result, we all have attitudes and emotions around sexting, including moral and practical opinions as well as feelings of excitement, fear, curiosity, and more. But what do we really know about this form of sexual communication? Who is really sexting, why, and what are the consequences?"
"The dominant social narrative around sexting seems to be that it's the foolish consequence of youthful libido, and an unfortunate side effect of modern technology. In close second place is the depiction of sexting as inherently dangerous, and as a moral failing. Regrettably, I've heard law enforcement, educators, and friends and family advise other adults against participating in any type of sexting."
Sexting involves sending and receiving digital sexual messages and images. Prevalence among U.S. adults has increased fivefold since 2014. Individuals hold moral and practical opinions and experience emotions such as excitement, fear, and curiosity about sexting. Public sources range from erotic guidance to warnings about legal consequences. Dominant narratives portray sexting as youthful folly or inherently dangerous and morally wrong. Authorities and some adults advise against any sexting participation. Victims of image-based sexual abuse are often blamed for having sent images, reflecting victim-blaming similar to judging clothing choices in unsafe contexts. Many questions remain about who sexts, why, and the consequences.
Read at Psychology Today
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