Blackmailed with pics?

What would be the best thing to do if he threatens to put up those dirty pics if I tell or break up with him?

As you saw in last weeks blog, sexting is a crime and really dangerous. But what can you do if it’s too late and your boyfriend/ girlfriend is threatening to put your pics out for the whole world to see if you break up with them? The best thing to do is tell an adult. If your partner has threatened you by using technology keep a record of the facebook posts or messages to protect yourself. You can also report it to the police. Check out this helpful site to find tips for teens and parents on dealing with sexting. http://www.safeteens.com/teen-sexting-tips/

Teens, do you have any advise for your peers who might be dealing with threats involving sexting?

Legal Dangers of Sexting

“Teens shouldn’t Sext, it leads to lots of trouble.”

This comment came for some in the audience at Spotlight on Teen Dating Violence: Upload Awareness and PADV agrees! According to Ross and Pines, LLC, an Atlanta attorney group, “Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones. Did you know that sexting is a crime!? According to Georgia state sex statutes were written before cell phones and the Internet. As a result, sexting fits under child pornography laws. Depending on the details of the case, a sexting offense could be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or felony. For a felony conviction, the sentence could be a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a person's name would appear on Georgia's sex offender registry for at least 15 years.”

So teens, when it comes to sexting, its best to steer clear. Not only is it illegal, but those images can be used by a controlling partner or a bully to blackmail you. 3 in 10 young people have sent or received nude pictures of other young people on their cell or online. With the rapid nature of the internet you could end up on websites that you may never even see. Don’t be a statistic, keep the private pics private.

Sexting: It's a crime

04.13.2010

If you have been reading our blog, you know my stance on sexting. If you don't check out our "Sex and technology" blog here. We've mentioned how sexting and teen dating violence are linked, but we haven't talked about the legal consequences of sexting. In the state of Georgia, sexting between minors (young people under the age of 18) is a crime.

Yes, a crime. At the very least, you could find yourself expelled from school if you send explicit pictures of yourself or others. At most, you could end up in jail.

In metro Atlanta, there have already been cases of teens charged with disciplinary action for sexting.

• In Forsyth County, a seventh grader was suspended for 10 days for sending an explicit picture of herself to male students at her school.
• Students at an Atlanta private school may have criminal charges brought against them for sexting in school. One student has been suspended and another withdrew from the school.
• A Clayton County teen was put behind bars for sending an explicit photo of himself to a 16-year-old girl.

Check out this information from Lawyers.com about sexting and the law. Think of the consequences of sexting before you push send!

--Jil