Aylesbury News, Thames Valley Teens & Sexting and how they are Affected By It.

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• published: 15 Sep 2016
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Thames Valley Teens & Sexting and how they are Affected By It. A quarter of 13 and 14-year-olds in the Thames Valley say they've been sent a naked or sexual image. That stat's from a survey the police have done, looking at 'sexting' and the impact it's had. Some of the teens they asked said they started while in year 7. That's as young as 11 or 12. Most said they felt pressured or needed to to keep their relationship going. Why is TVP talking about this?The Force is highlighting the issues and dangers of sharing explicit images online or via text, known as 'sexting', and engaging with young people to encourage them to think about risks and what they can do to stay safe online. As part of its new #ProtectYourWorld - stay safe online cyber crime campaign launched last week, Thames Valley Police is today (12/9) releasing the results of a survey carried out among young people to give a snapshot of their views on sexting. Just over 200 13 and 14-year-olds from across the Thames Valley took part and the results revealed an insight into the pressures felt: A quarter of those asked said they had received a nude or sexual image. Almost half said that young people were most likely to get involved in sexting while in Year 7 (age 11-12). The most likely reasons for young people to send 'sexts' was given as 'to take your relationship to the next level' (47%) and 'peer pressure from a boyfriend/girlfriend' (45%). And 46 (21%) said they thought young people sent sexts to stop their boyfriend or girlfriend from 'dumping' them. Schools liaison officers, as part of ongoing work with schools, will be highlighting issues surrounding sexting and the Force is encouraging young people to think about their actions with messages on posters, video clips and via social media. On Monday 19 September, a 'Safeguarding Online Risks' event is being hosted by Thames Valley Police for professionals working with young people to explore online safety issues, including sexting. Working in conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's Board, the learning event for professionals and practitioners including school and educational settings, social care, health services, criminal justice services and charities, will provide an opportunity to share knowledge and discuss how to improve partnership working in the future. The Force is also launching an Online Safety Competition for under-18s to engage with young people by asking them to send in their own ideas and advice on staying safe online. One winner will be chosen by a panel of cyber crime experts at Thames Valley Police to win an iPad Mini 2 and one runner-up will receive a Chromebook, both donated by Oxfordshire-based educational software firm RM Education. Whether via a video, micro-website or landing page, poem, story or picture, young people can present their ideas however they wish. The competition is running until Monday 3 October. Further information is available via the Thames Valley Police website. 'Sexting is illegal if you're under 18' Det Supt Nick John, Head of Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations at Thames Valley Police, said."While the internet is a fantastic resource for young people, there are risks involved in being online, varying from bullying, harassment and stalking through to child sexual exploitation. "Our #ProtectYourWorld campaign is raising awareness about online crime and encouraging everyone to take steps to protect themselves, including young people. "We are focussing on sexting as this is a very current issue, which has grown rapidly and can be misunderstood. Sexting is illegal if you are under 18. By sending an explicit image, even if it is of yourself, you are producing and distributing an indecent image of a child - even if the picture is taken and shared with your/their permission. "Young people may see sexting as harmless and while we do not wish to criminalise them, taking, sharing or receiving an image of this nature is illegal and can lead to serious consequences, including blackmail, bullying, harassment, which can have a long-lasting negative impact. It can also make young people a target of sex offenders. "Thames Valley Police does not want to criminalise younger people, where we are informed about illegal activity we must investigate. We seek to take a proportionate response in all investigations and provide support and advice to those concerned. However the most extreme cases of those coercing or exploiting others could lead to a maximum sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment "We hope that by opening up the conversation and raising awareness, we will encourage young people to think about their behaviour - and parents and carers to enter into conversation with their children about it too." Amy's story Amy (not her real name) was 17 and moving from school to college. She was looking forward to making new friends and moving on to the next stage of her life.