- shame
- humiliation
- social isolation
- depression
- cyber-bullying
- cyber-stalking
- felony criminal charges
- sex offender registration
- imprisonment
- suicide
In Cincinnati, Ohio, an 18-year old high school teenager by the name of Jessica Logan did an interview in May 2008 on the harmful consequences of sexting, and in two months after going to a friend's funeral, had hung herself in her bedroom. She died from the emotional stress and torture received by her fellow classmates after nude pictures she had sent to her former boyfriend through her cell phone ,was forwarded to her classmates. Her mother only knew bits and pieces of what her daughter was going through, after being sent a letter by the school for her daughter's outstanding absences from school. However, it was too late when she discovered her daughter had committed suicide. Afterwards, Cynthia Logan, mother of Jessica, had quit her job and checked herself into the hospital for suffering from depression. Her parents, now, advocate in responsible behaviors for teenagers and young adults in the remembrance of the loss of their daughter. In Ohio, the county prosecutor and lawmakers proposed a law that would reduced sexting from being a felony to a first degree misdemeanor. It also eliminates the possibility of a young offender from being labeled as a sex offender. This proposal was supported by Jessica Logan's parents.
Sexting can be a social danger and can deteriorate a person's reputation and character if spread publicly. Therefore, The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication or I.R.O.C., which is a New Jersey based non-profit organization that is dedicated to educating the public about protecting themselves from the dangers of media irresponsibility. The institute founded a program called "Sexting is Stupid" which is an innovative way to focus on the electronic communication that is waving in the 21st Century. This awareness provides an effort to influence positive behaviors and judgements when interacting in the digital world. The program offers "information sharing from industry experts, questions and answer sessions, and illustrative multimedia content exposing real world examples of the dangers of poor online judgement and the unintended, potentially life altering consequences that can ensue".
Statistics from sexting (The National Campaign):
The percentage of teenagers who have sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves:
- 20% of teenagers overall
- 22% of teen girls
- 18% of teen boys
- 11% of young teen girls ages 13-16
The percentage of teenagers sending or posting sexually suggestive messages:
- 39% of all teenagers
- 37% of teen girls
- 40% of teen boys
51% of teen girls say pressure from a guy is a reason girls send sexy messages or images; only 18% of teen boys cited pressure from female counterparts as a reason.
So the question is: Should there be a law passed against sexting in all 50 states? What can schools do to help in making sure students do not go through bullying or torture such as Jessica Logan did when an incident such as sexting occurs? Should parents be advised to get their child's phone blocked to receiving obscene images or text messages?
