What is sexting and what dangers does it pose?

Risks:

1. Puts a marriage at risk. Anytime a spouse is having sexual or emotional needs met outside the marriage it is considered an affair which poses a threat to the marriage. It is not harmless and must be addressed in therapy as a martial risk.

2. Revenge. Once sexual pictures or videos are sent to another person, that person can release the material in an attempt to humiliate and denigrate the other person.

3. Blackmail. People engaging in sexting are open to blackmail. Some people will threaten to release the compromising material unless payment or favors are received.

-Some studies indicate that men are more likely to show nude pictures of their sexting partners to friends than women do.

4. Sexual victimization of minors with sexting follows the same pattern as other forms of child sexual abuse.


-Teens and children do not have good decision making skills or the judgment to understand they are putting themselves at risk when sexting.