Sexting
Sharing intimate images or messages can be a way to show your affection for someone, but it’s important to know the risks involved. Read more to learn about the impact of sexting before sending out that flirty message.
What is sexting?
There’s a good chance you’ve heard of sexting before. Sexting is when sexual content like videos, nude pictures, or sexy messages are shared using text, Whatsapp, other online services or social networks. There are different reasons why someone might sext; it could be because you feel confident in your body, you did it as a dare or you thought there wouldn’t be any harm in sending it to someone you trust.
You should not feel pressured to send a sext. If you do feel pressured, you might want to talk to someone you trust about it, and say no if you’re not comfortable.
What if I’m just sending it to someone I trust?
It’s great that you trust the person you’re sending it to! Trust is the foundation of a good relationship. However, sometimes unexpected things happen, such as a break up or fight that might cause the other person to share your sexts.
Their social networks could be hacked or their phone could be stolen, and that may cause your sexts to be shared as well. If someone shares your photo, it could spread quickly and your family or friends may also see it, along with a ton of strangers. If you do want to engage in sexting, here are some tips to do it safely:
What’s the worst that could happen?
In the worst case scenario, your sexts may be shared with people you didn’t intend to see it. You may feel ashamed or embarrassed that people saw a very personal part of you, and it could make others around you view you in a negative way. Victims who have had their sexts shared without permission have a high risk of embarrassment, as well having less trust in the relationships of people around them.
My messages got leaked… What do I do?
Sharing sexts without the original sender’s clear consent is always wrong, no matter the circumstance. If you are unsure what consent is, you can read up on it on our consent and sexual safety section.
You won’t be charged for sending a sext, even if you’re under 18 (unless you’re doing it to harass someone.) But sharing a sext without the original sender’s consent is illegal, no matter how old the person in the photo is (Criminal Code 162.1). If the person in the sext is under 18 you could also be charged with distributing child pornography.
Some other things to consider:
Sexting can be fun and flirty, but it also has risks that you should carefully consider before sending anything.