Introduction
In conducting a research that is about teenage sexting, first, it is important to understand what teenage sexting implies. Basically, since the term has not been in existence until the 21st century, teenage sexting refers to the habit or vice whereby teenagers are sending nude photos or sexually explicit messages between phones via the email or text messages. The term ‘sexting’ came to be as a result of marrying two terms, ‘sex’ and ‘text’ whereby the latter covers the major part of the idea as it tries to bring out the idea that texts are being sent containing images, and most probably, they are sexual explicit photos.
Researches and surveys conducted recently have revealed and came to a rude shock contrary to what many had earlier perceived since they showed more than 30% percent of the U.S. teenage population is sexting. For instance, recently, a research was conducted at the university of Texas that found out that more than 50% of the teenagers have at one point in their lives been asked to send a nude photo of themselves to someone they know or merely met online. In addition, there are cases that involved these teenagers requesting for a nude photo to be sent to them. A vital explanation has been brought forward that attempts to explain the skyrocketing rate of the growth and spread of the vice is that: it is always an indication of actual sexual behavior or teenagers’ curiosity to explore their sexual desires. Moreover, it was also established that the vice has been promoted tremendously by the remarkable technological developments in the communication sector.
Sexting has come along with various dangers that the teenagers are exposed to. These dangers include the sexual content one sends, especially photos, which may be shared with people that are not desired to be shared with, for instance, when the recipient shares them with other parties. They could face legal consequences especially when the sexual explicit content involves a minor. Sexting has also led to a considerable percentage of teens to begin dating and eventually engage into sexual behavior.
Problem Statement
From the research conducted to determine the prevalence of sexting among teenagers, several issues came up, but most importantly, the adverse effects that come up as a result were astonishing. One major danger that the teenagers were exposed to was their vulnerability to engage into premature sex at a tender age due to their curiosity to explore their sexual desires. As stated, this problem poses a great danger to the teenagers in the sense that they are lured to premature sexual behavior, which in effect may result to having sexually transmitted infections, getting impregnated or being further lured to have other socially irresponsible behavior like prostitution. As to the risks that the problem poses to the teenagers, it is fundamentally necessary to conduct a deep study of the matter in order to come up with ways that will help curb the vice and its resultant effects like the latter.
Rationale for the Research
In conducting this research, it was intended to establish the ages that the teens are more likely to engage in sexting and what lures them to the vice. It is also important to establish the ratio of boys to girls that have been involved in sexting and their general take upon the matter, what happens to lead the teens to engaging in premature sexual activity, the resultant effects that do rise as a result of premature sexual activity. Due to the recent skyrocketing reports about the number of teenagers who engage in dubious traits of drug abuse and get unwanted pregnancies, I the ways and means that will help reduce the prevalence of sexting among the teens were established. Carrying out this study was very important because, following the recent results that have been obtained from surveys conducted by various institutions on sexting, the figures of those teenagers taking part in the vice is worrying and alarming; if unchecked, it is likely to raise a disputed society, bring about moral decay among youths and an unproductive generation. Therefore, if to come up with an exact statistics of those entertaining the vice, it will be able to engage them into debates and forums that will help them seize and refrain from the habit.
Statement of the Research Objectives
The purpose and objectives for this study are to identify the vulnerable groups in the society to sexting, find out what really prompts the target in question to engage in sexting and provide them with viable information about the associated risks, especially the risks that come because of engaging in premature sexual activity.
Hypothesis
- The teenagers who engage in sexting and are dating abuse drugs and engage in premature sexual activity.
- The teenagers who engage in sexting are aged between 14-19 years of age.
Research Methodology
In conducting this research, some reports that have been presented by various institutions like the University of Texas were studied. Mr. James Tuesday, a psychologist who majors in the field was interviewed and cases of drug abuse in the past by offering advice to the teenagers that have been brought to him and seen them to recovery were examined.
Findings
During the research, it was found out that the majority of the teenagers who were involved in sexting were mainly aged between 14-19 years of age but majority of them were aged between 15 and 16 years of age. Furthermore, it was found out that the relationship between sexting and sexual behavior was closely linked. Most importantly, the teenagers were lured into engaging into the act by their desires to explore their sexual activity. There was another important observation that was made such that teenagers, who engage in sexting, most especially girls, were likely to get into risky behaviors that were dangerous to them; such dubious traits included having multiple partners, using and abusing drugs and alcohol, after which most of them were engaged into premature sexual activity. Because of taking part in premature sexual activity and drug abuse, most of the girls were impregnated, expelled from school institutions, and in addition, others contacted sexually transmitted infections.
Recommendations
From the high number of teenagers who engaged in sexting and the resultant dire effects that affected them, for instance, unwanted pregnancies, it became essentially crucial to come up with ways that would help curb or possibly terminate the root cause. Some of the suggested ways are that parents should set aside time to spend with their children. Parents should help children grow in a socially responsible upright manner, assess the company of their children and make sure that they do not mingle up with wrong company as they would have misleading influence on them. Indeed, parents should feel free to educate their children and warn from dangers that come up premature sexual activity and drug abuse. Moreover, teenagers’ access to mobile and computer devices that enable them to engage in sexting should be properly checked to ensure that they are used solely for responsible purposes.
Conclusion
In view of the earlier discussed factors that come as a result of sexting, it is virtually important to note that they do pose a great danger to the teenager population. Therefore, the vice needs to be checked by employing the recommended measures, failure of which will ensue in a society that is ill fated and morally decayed.