28 August 2011

Sexting Debate.




SHOULD teens who take pictures and videos of themselves in sexual situations be treated the same way as pedophiles?

Social commentator and researcher Nina Funnell, who is currently working on a book about sexting, said that under the current system the consequences far outweighed the crime.

Victoria  (Australia)   this week announced an inquiry into whether the punishments for sexting — which can include 10 years in jail and registration as a sex offender — are too harsh

."Teenagers have been put on the sex offender register in relation to sexting incidents," she told news.com.au."It will have a devastating impact on the lives of these teenagers."It will have an impact on them professionally, in terms of the types of jobs that they are able to apply for

."But it's more than that, it's the social stigma of being a registered sex offender, and knowing that in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of society you are viewed in a particular way and you have been grouped in with convicted pedophiles.

"As well as the impact on teenagers placed on the list, Funnell said the current system made the list itself less powerful as a deterrent to criminals

."It actually waters down the power and effectiveness of the sex offenders register and I think we need to be preserving the integrity of that sex offender register so it's meaningful," she said

21 comments:

  1. NO!
    I agree with this...""It actually waters down the power and effectiveness of the sex offenders register and I think we need to be preserving the integrity of that sex offender register so it's meaningful," she said"

    But they should be sited (arrested?) for indecent exposure. And there should be stiff fines and an example made of them (public exposure of their identity) to discourage others.

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  2. I wouldn't want REAL pedophiles and sex offenders to say they were just kidding around or that "it was just kid stuff".
    They are sickos.
    Teenagers are just STUPID!

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  3. 25 years ago... i was doing the nasty... woulda been kinda rough if i was put on a sex offenders register just for being horny and 15... kinda think sexting is just an extension of sexuality...

    not saying i want my 15 year old son taking pics of his goods and sending to the 2 objects of his affection... but if he does... is it criminal? nah... just another way for a 15 year old boy to get off...

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  4. Jen, Paul... I agree with you both. To be honest I was quite taken a back when I read that article.. c'mon 10 years prison?.. and the long term ramifications of being placed on The Sex Offender Register... nah... Young and Stupid .. definately... but sex offenders .. no way.

    Indecent exposure and community service perhaps??

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  5. perhaps a ban on buying or owning a mobile phone, ipod etc for the rest of their naturals lives, would be more appropriate, as this is how they are sending/receiving naked photos

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  6. teen sexting to teens, I see that as more of a parental thing.

    But there are a lot of pervs out there who troll for teens. If they get teens to send them sexually explicit pics, I am not sure that there is a book big enough to throw at em.

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  7. .there is always email?

    I think its poor judgment by teens

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  8. The problem, as I see it, is that we deliver up technology into the hands of children but seldom monitor their behaviours. I know of children Bella's age who have their own iPhones. Ridiculous and dangerous but as parents how do we resist the overwhelming pressure on us to give children everything? Even things they have no need of.

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  9. Rhys, my personal opinion on children, Bella's age, having any type of mobile phone is that its ridiculous. Not all, but many parents do use mobile phones as "baby sitters", which in my view is neglectful.

    What happened to teaching children the value of things. If you dont need it.. you dont have it.. simple. ( well its not simple really, but that comes with being a parent. . we cant alwlays give the child what he or she wants.)

    AND if you have it and it works, then for heaven sake .. why ditch it for the latest model???

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  10. Bella won't be getting her own phone anytime in the forseable future. Adam got an iPhone for his birthday but he needed a new phone and he does pay for his credit.

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  11. and this is so very true Rhys.

    How many times have I heard parents say that they have no idea how to use something.. but the kids know all the ins and outs. Im guilty of that myself!!

    I was really lucky that we were able to set our Family computer up in a not so private area when the kids were younger through to their mid teens.. it was a good way of knowing what they were doing online and being able to discuss with them how they were using the internet.

    By intermittently checking on Naths moblie phone plan account ( whilst he was in his early teens) we were able to make sure that he was not up till all hours of the night and morning txt'ing... He was very good at sticking to his word and not using it after a given time. Only once did we have to enforce that his phone was left in the kitchen, turned off , during week nights.

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  12. Yes I read that Adam got his iphone. And I think your right to give him the responsibility of paying for his credit. Amazing how much LESS we spend when its not our parents money lol

    He is of an age where he needs to learn the skill of budgeting and also being shown trust .. I have no issue with kidis Adams age having a mobile phone .. but again.. monitoring in some form does still have to be in place, yeah?

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  13. There used to be a good feature (maybe still is) on mobile phones. You could lock the phone to only dial specific numbers. It could be programmed to dial the emergency number, home, mobiles for a parent or guardian and so on. It also stopped them from running up a thousand dollar bill! Employers also liked it to assure an employee was using it for company business, not hours of talking to a lover!

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  14. My Bosses were beside themselves when their five year old daughter began school and the school would not allow her to have a mobile phone on her person during school hours. FIVE!?

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  15. Sorry Chris .. Im going to have to get back to you on this one.. Hubby is home and RAVENOUS lol

    Nice to hear from you though.. its been a while, how'd you weather that storm??

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  16. Adam's phone gets left in kitchen to charge overnight. He's not allowed to have it in his room past bed time. We also prefer him to use the computer in common areas of the house. At fifteen, the internet is a tempting place for a young man.

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  17. "SHOULD teens who take pictures and videos of themselves in sexual situations be treated the same way as pedophiles?"
    Not as pedophiles, but rather as SEXUALLY ACTIVE MINORS !
    Pedophiles on the other hand are those people who are OF AGE, who are reacting to a MINORS photos

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  18. I have heard that there are features such as you mentioned Chris, but I have never bothered to look into what exactly can be blocked. I suppose because I have never needed to in the past.

    I wonder how many adults are aware that these features exist? I doubt many.

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  19. Last year I discoverd that I could send specific numbers of incoming calls direct to voice mail.. the phone doesnt ring.

    My employer was very good at getting other members of staff to ring me (on my day off) if they needed help with anything. I received phone calls about the coffee machine, the wireless mouse, the printer ...

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  20. Yep, that`s where I am with it as well.

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