Sexting: A Big Worry

But for teens it may be curiosity about nudity.

- Dr Sanjay Teotia

Sharing of sexually explicit images and videos through the internet or via electronic devices such as smart phones is known as sexting. Sexting is not an insolated phenomenon but one of the several different types of sexual interaction in digital context that is related to sexual arousal.

Sexting can happen through sexually explicit text messages, provocative audio clips, suggestive selfies or videos. No matter what form sexting takes, it should always be consensual practice between two or more parties.

Four out of five parents in developed countries are more concerned about their children sexting than drinking alcohol or smoking.

Regular sexting can raise some red flags in a relationship, in addition to having a higher degree of complete conflict; sexters also reported feeling insecure in their relationship and displayed lower levels of commitment.

Young people who sexted were much more likely to be involved in other sexual activity more than three times the chance. They were more likely to have had multiple sexual partners and they were less likely to use contraception.

There were also links between sexting and alcohol use, drug use and smoking. Growing fear is that the threat from online dangers has far more quickly outgrown the society's response to them. More parents are concerned about sexting by their children rather than their drinking or smoking. Even if you have never sexted in the past, did not have an interest in it or just never had it come up, more people are turning to their devices for intimacy that's not just possible in person right now.