Sexting among teenagers: prevalence, characteristics and legal treatment

Abstract

Criminal policy adopted in sexual offences, initially intended to protect minors and youths, has led some countries to criminalise online sexual contact between teens themselves. Prevalent engagement in sexting by minors has already been subject to sanction in the US and could be sanctioned in European countries in the case of punitive criminal policy in this area becoming widespread. This study, conducted in Spain with a sample of 489 youths between the ages of 14 and 18, determines the lifetime prevalence of teen participation in sexting behaviours, the profile of those who sext, the dynamics of their participation and the emotional effects it can have on the parties involved. In light of the results, an approach to sexting is proposed that, in keeping with the discourse of normalcy, is based more on education than sanction, avoiding approaches that link this behaviour necessarily with the idea of deviation.