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| Police warn of teenage 'sexting' | Police warn of teenage 'sexting' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A worrying number of teenagers are swapping intimate or sexually explicit photos, called "sexts", on their mobiles, police say. | A worrying number of teenagers are swapping intimate or sexually explicit photos, called "sexts", on their mobiles, police say. |
| The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre says it receives daily reports of harassment after private photos have been circulated. | The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre says it receives daily reports of harassment after private photos have been circulated. |
| Some "sexts" have ended up on forums used by child sex offenders, it says. | |
| One in four 11 to 18-year-olds have received a "sext" by phone or email, according to charity Beatbullying. | One in four 11 to 18-year-olds have received a "sext" by phone or email, according to charity Beatbullying. |
| The charity, which surveyed 2,094 young people in England, said 23% of messages came from a current boyfriend or girlfriend, 45% from friends and 2% from adults. | The charity, which surveyed 2,094 young people in England, said 23% of messages came from a current boyfriend or girlfriend, 45% from friends and 2% from adults. |
| If it is two 17-year-olds and they are in a consensual relationship, the police will probably not prosecute. But people that sent on these images [could be held] for ill intent Helen Penn, Ceop class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/revealed/?story=sexting">Watch: Who really sees the pictures you text? | |
| Helen Penn, from Ceop, said police were becoming increasingly worried about "people losing control of these photos". | Helen Penn, from Ceop, said police were becoming increasingly worried about "people losing control of these photos". |
| "We are getting more reports of teenagers being bullied, called names and strung up in front of their whole school," she said. | "We are getting more reports of teenagers being bullied, called names and strung up in front of their whole school," she said. |
| "We can completely understand why young people want to post these images to each other. But you have to have 100% trust in the person you are sending it to. | "We can completely understand why young people want to post these images to each other. But you have to have 100% trust in the person you are sending it to. |
| "Even then, what if their friends get hold of the phone or it gets lost on a bus somewhere?" she added. | "Even then, what if their friends get hold of the phone or it gets lost on a bus somewhere?" she added. |
| Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying, said it was important that parents and schools understood the rise of "sexting" so sexual bullying could be stopped. | Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying, said it was important that parents and schools understood the rise of "sexting" so sexual bullying could be stopped. |
| The charity said girls were often bullied into taking, and sharing, explicit pictures of themselves. | The charity said girls were often bullied into taking, and sharing, explicit pictures of themselves. |
| I've never really been able to live it down. People I have never met still shout and swear at me... I would just never do it again Alex, 16-year-old "sexter" | I've never really been able to live it down. People I have never met still shout and swear at me... I would just never do it again Alex, 16-year-old "sexter" |
| A third of young people have been involved in a "sexualised" online chat, it added. | A third of young people have been involved in a "sexualised" online chat, it added. |
| One 16-year-old, Alex - not her real name - told Newsbeat life became "hell" after she sent her boyfriend a private "sext" video during a night out. | One 16-year-old, Alex - not her real name - told Newsbeat life became "hell" after she sent her boyfriend a private "sext" video during a night out. |
| "He left his phone on the side and his mates got hold of it," she said. | "He left his phone on the side and his mates got hold of it," she said. |
| The video was distributed around her school and neighbouring colleges and Alex said she was forced to take time off from her studies. | The video was distributed around her school and neighbouring colleges and Alex said she was forced to take time off from her studies. |
| "When I came back it was like hell," she said. "I've never really been able to live it down. People I have never met still shout and swear at me. It's been the biggest lesson, I would just never do it again." | "When I came back it was like hell," she said. "I've never really been able to live it down. People I have never met still shout and swear at me. It's been the biggest lesson, I would just never do it again." |
| But another teenager told Newsbeat there was nothing wrong with "sexting". | But another teenager told Newsbeat there was nothing wrong with "sexting". |
| "I send pics all the time. If you are comfortable with your body, then why not?", she said. | "I send pics all the time. If you are comfortable with your body, then why not?", she said. |
| Prosecutions | Prosecutions |
| In theory, teenagers could be arrested for taking naked photos of themselves or their boyfriends or girlfriends. | In theory, teenagers could be arrested for taking naked photos of themselves or their boyfriends or girlfriends. |
| Although it is legal to have sex at 16 under British law, it is illegal to take, hold or share "indecent" photos of anyone under 18. | Although it is legal to have sex at 16 under British law, it is illegal to take, hold or share "indecent" photos of anyone under 18. |
| Helen Penn said in practice it is unlikely the British police would get involved in a consensual case of "sexting" because it would not be in the public interest, although there have been a number of charges brought in both Australia and the US. | Helen Penn said in practice it is unlikely the British police would get involved in a consensual case of "sexting" because it would not be in the public interest, although there have been a number of charges brought in both Australia and the US. |
| But if grooming or sexual abuse of a minor was discovered, there would probably be a prosecution. | But if grooming or sexual abuse of a minor was discovered, there would probably be a prosecution. |
| "When the police look at this kind of offence, they are going to take it in context. | "When the police look at this kind of offence, they are going to take it in context. |
| "So if it is two 17-year-olds and they are in a consensual relationship, they will probably not prosecute those people. | "So if it is two 17-year-olds and they are in a consensual relationship, they will probably not prosecute those people. |
| "But it will look at people that sent on these images and hold lots of them for ill intent." | "But it will look at people that sent on these images and hold lots of them for ill intent." |