Police warn against the rise of 'sexting'

Friday 28 April 2017

Jersey Police are warning young people about the dangers of sexting - sharing explicit images with their phones - as the numbers of cases appears to be rising.

A recent response to a Freedom of Information request shows that the number of under 18-year-olds reported for indecent images offences has gone up over the last year from 7 to 11.

While cases are still in small numbers, the Police say they do not want see a significant increase. Pc Chris Ingham, who appears in a video the Police have put on their Facebook page, warning young people against sexting, told Express: "We have been noticing more cases involving juveniles of school age. It's been a slow rise but the numbers are growing steadily. That is why we are trying to send out information to try and stop it." 

In the video, PC Ingham warns youngsters of the legal implications of sending naked pictures over the phone. According to the Protection of Children (Jersey) Law 1994 a person who makes any indecent photograph or has in her possession such indecent photographs is guilty of an offence.

"Please don't send sending naked pictures or semi-naked, or anything of that nature to each other if you are under 16 it is illegal" says Pc Ingham.

He also warns young people that those photographs can have personal repercussions as, once the sender has hit 'Send' he no longer has control. "Once you have sent the picture, you have no control over it, it can be uploaded to any site. Those photographs can come back and haunt you. It can have a bad effect on your life." 

"If you are not prepared to put a naked picture of yourself in the school and let everybody see it then don't send one to anyone. Don't bow to peer pressure."

Figures released as part of a FOI request show that the number of people under 18 who have been reported to police for indecent images offences has been multiplied by four over the last two years. There were three in 2014, and 11 last year. As a comparison, there were five adults reported for the same kind of offences last year.