While professionals and community members refer to one of today’s prevalent online issues as ‘sexting’, there is no clear definition of the act. Many professionals consider sexting to be ‘sending or posting sexually suggestive images, including nude or semi-nude photographs, via mobile phones or over the Internet’. Yet when people are asked ‘What does sexting mean to you?’ they are more likely to interpret sexting as ‘writing and sharing explicit messages with people they know.’ Similarly, when youth or young adults are involved, many parents and managers think of sexting as flirty or sexual text messages rather than images.
Sharing photos and videos online is part of daily life for many people, enabling them to share their experiences, connect with friends and record their lives. This increase in the speed and ease of sharing imagery has brought concerns about people producing and sharing sexual imagery of themselves. This can expose them to risks, particularly if the imagery is shared further, including embarrassment, harassment and increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation. Producing and sharing sexual images of individuals under 18 is also illegal, including storing these files locally.
Please take immediate consideration to your local and state laws regarding the discovery on images such as these. These images should be immediately captured in methods that involve law enforcement as soon as possible and to minimize the over-exposure of such images. Time is of the essence. Involve your Safety Resource Officer and or local law enforcement immediately. Follow your policy and reporting and managing the potential electronic evidence.
Discovery and Identification
Any direct disclosure by or about a person should be taken very seriously, in particular when a minor is involved. A person who discloses that they are the subject of sexual imagery is likely to be concerned and/or worried about the consequences. It is likely that disclosure in public or with their peers is a last resort and they may have already tried to resolve the issue themselves. With youth, consider a school’s child protection procedures and actions taken should be based on consideration of the best interests of the young people involved. This should take into account proportionality as well as the welfare and protection of the young people. The decision should be reviewed throughout the process of responding to the incident.
A suggested protocol includes:
Whether there is an immediate risk to a young person or young people.
If a referral should be made to the police and/or children’s social care.
If it is necessary to view the imagery in order to safeguard the young person – in most cases, imagery should not be viewed.
What further information is required to decide on the best response.
Whether the imagery has been shared widely and via what services and/or platforms. This may be unknown.
Whether immediate action should be taken to delete or remove images from devices or online services.
Any relevant facts about the young people involved which would influence risk assessment
If there is a need to contact another school, college, setting or individual.
Whether to contact parents of the pupils involved - in most cases parents should be involved.
An immediate referral to police and/or children’s social care should be made if at this initial stage:
The incident involves a minor and an adult.
There is reason to believe that a young person has been coerced, blackmailed or groomed, or if there are concerns about their capacity to consent (for example owing to special educational needs)
What you know about the imagery suggests the content depicts sexual acts which are unusual for the young person’s developmental stage or are violent.
The imagery involves sexual acts and any person in the imagery is under 13.
You have reason to believe a minor is at immediate risk of harm owing to the sharing of the imagery, for example, the young person is presenting as suicidal or self-harming.
General Guidance
It is important to recognize how difficult it may be for people, and especially youth, to challenge or deny their peers’ requests for images, especially those to whom they are attracted or whose approval they seek. It may also be extremely difficult for them to ask adults for help. Young people may have made a decision they now regret and may find it difficult or embarrassing to ask for help. It is essential that lessons help children and young people develop the confidence they may need to put their skills and strategies into action. It is therefore important that children and young people understand their school’s policy towards youth produced sexual imagery. The content of this policy and the protocols the school will follow in the event of an incident can be explored as part of this learning. This reinforces the inappropriate nature of abusive behaviors and can reassure children and young people that their school will support them if they experience difficulties or have concerns.
The purpose of the conversation is to:
Identify, what the image contains and whether anyone else has been involved. Find out who has seen or shared the image and how further distribution can be prevented.
Respond in a timely manner: With a report on violence, including both sexual and physical, time can be important as it relates to potential physical, emotional, and social media evidence preservation.
Take the report seriously: Again, the reporter may be very traumatized and unsure on what he or she is reporting as the victim. No matter what is said or reported, take the reporter seriously. In addition, call the SRO in to assist as this is a mandated report situation. Victims’ memories can become compromised over time so the quicker you can get a statement the better. Do your best to try and listen to gather the facts and educate yourself on the seriousness of the issue.
Speak with non-judgement: Let the reporter know that you are taking this report seriously and that others within the school will help facilitate the process. Support and understanding is critical at the point of the initial report.
Reporter (3rd party): Determine is this is a self or 3rd party report. This would change the importance of the timing and escalate the need to gather further information.
If it’s a third-party report, ask for a name. Let them know that you want to help this person and need to reach out to them to support them.
Examples:
“What have you seen or noticed?”
“What did he or she see?”
“Was this person incapacitated in any way”
“Any social media considerations? How is it shared and to whom? Is currently being shared?“
“Any other information that you could provide to help me?”
Tips for Interaction
This type of interaction requires building trust with the reporter. Be patient but persistent. Knowing the signs that suggest substance abuse and referring to them when responding.
When discussing the sharing of youth produced sexual imagery, it is important that everyone:
Recognizes the pressures that young people can be under to take part in sharing such imagery. If relevant, support the young person’s parents to understand the wider issues and motivations around this.
Remains solution-focused and avoids questions such as ‘why have you done this?’ as this may prevent the young person from talking about what has happened.
Reassures the young person that they are not alone and the school or college will do everything that they can to help and support them.
Helps the young person to understand what has happened by discussing the wider pressures that they may face and the motivations of the person that sent on the imagery.
Discusses issues of consent and trust within healthy relationships. Explain that it is not ok for someone to make them feel uncomfortable, to pressure them into doing things that they don’t want to do, or to show them things that they are unhappy about. Let them know that they can speak to the DSL if this ever happens.
Coaching
Listen with empathy and provide support:
Sympathize and listen. Minimizing what the reporter is going through can increase his or her sense of hopelessness. Victims of a sexual assault, harassment or physical violence can and will be very sensitive on being judged, the sometimes questions themselves as to whether or not they made it happen and or deserved it. Understanding, compassion, and emphasizing the fact that they are the victims is crucial.
Examples:
➢ “Do you have any concerns about the young person’s vulnerability?”
➢ “Why was the imagery shared? Was it consensual or was the young person put under pressure or coerced?”
➢ “Has the imagery been shared beyond its intended recipient? Was it shared without the consent of the young person who produced the imagery?”
➢ “Has the imagery been shared on social media or anywhere else online? If so, what steps have been taken to contain the spread of the imagery?”
➢ “How old is the young person or young people involved?”
➢ “Did the young person send the image to more than one person?”
Resources
Always provide a list of resources to the reporter:
School Staff Resources:
Children Resources:
Children can talk to a ChildLine counselor 24 hours a day about anything that is worrying them in an online chat at http://www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Chat/Pages/OnlineChat.aspx
If parents are concerned that their child is being contacted by adults as a result of having shared sexual imagery they should report to NCA-CEOP.
ChildLine and the Internet Watch Foundation have partnered to help children get sexual or naked images removed from the internet.
For School Counselors & Parents:
ChildLine have created Zip-It, an app that provides witty comebacks in order to help young person say no to requests for naked images.
There is information on the ChildLine website for young people about sexting.
The Safer Internet Centre has produced resources called ‘So You Got Naked Online’ which help young people to handle incidents of sexting.
Legal Disclaimer
This material is made available for education purposes only as well as to give general information and general understanding of current issues, and not to provide specific legal or process advice. This material should not be used as a substitute for your specific safety or legal advice from a licensed professional safety officer or attorney in your state.
This is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, as your safety procedure. For documentation of your safety procedure consult your safety resources at state, district, or school level as appropriate. STOPit is not responsible for any safety issue reported.