“Happens all the time. No harm done”: how young people see sexting & how parents can talk about it

Whether they’re sending nudes or receiving them or not, young people are aware of sexting. They’re all part of a sexting culture.

Dr Emily Setty – a lecturer in criminology at the University of Surrey and author of Risk And Harm In Youth Sexting – is a sexting expert specialised in researching issues like consent, self-respect, healthy relationships, gender double standards, risks and peer pressure.

Here is what Emily has to say about dick pics, victim blaming and how to talk with your child about the social and personal complexities of sending nudes…

So what does sexting even mean?

Sexting is the production and exchange of sexual, explicit or intimate digital material that’s written – like a text message – or photographed, like still or moving images that are recorded or livestreamed.

The official term for sexting is “youth-produced sexual imagery“ (YPSI).