Sexting
By Chelsea, age 15, Virginia
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
Sexting - we've all heard of it, and as much as you may think so, it's NOT cool. For those of you who are unaware of what sexting is, it's when you send nude pictures over your cell phone. You may do it to impress a boy, or because your boyfriend really wants you to, but whatever your reason, it's not worth it. Sexting could get you suspended or expelled from school and even charged with manufacturing and distributing child pornography. That's right, you could get in trouble with the law.
So you think it'll never happen to you? Think again. When you send a picture to a boy, he will show it to someone else. Then they'll show it to someone else. And there you go, you've got an audience. Eventually an adult is going to see it and start asking questions. Then all those people who've showed it around and you are in trouble.
Mary* was a popular cheerleader in the 9th grade at my school. She had lots of friends and made good grades. She had a bright future ahead of her. Well, Mary liked a boy on the baseball team, but he wouldn't date her. So she figured if she showed him what he wanted, he would. She took pornographic videos of herself and sent them to him. He sent them to the entire baseball team, and within a week it was circulating around the high school. Parents and teachers found out, and Mary was brought in for questioning. She, the boy, and members of the team were all expelled from school and had to go to court. They were charged with years in jail and fines.
This is a true story, and she made a bad name for our school and cheerleading squad. Now she is shunned at school. Do you want this to happen to you? Then think before you send ANYTHING. It can be traced.
*Name has been changed.
