What is sexting and what dangers does it pose?

[Irish_Dem]

Sexting is sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photographs, or videos, primarily between mobile phones. It may also include the use of a computer or any digital device.

Sexting is not an isolated phenomenon but one of many different types of sexual interaction in digital contexts that is related to sexual arousal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexting

Risks:

1. Puts a marriage at risk. Anytime a spouse is having sexual or emotional needs met outside the marriage it is considered an affair which poses a threat to the marriage. It is not harmless and must be addressed in therapy as a martial risk.

2. Revenge. Once sexual pictures or videos are sent to another person, that person can release the material in an attempt to humiliate and denigrate the other person.

3. Blackmail. People engaging in sexting are open to blackmail. Some people will threaten to release the compromising material unless payment or favors are received.

-Some studies indicate that men are more likely to show nude pictures of their sexting partners to friends than women do.

4. Sexual victimization of minors with sexting follows the same pattern as other forms of child sexual abuse.


-Teens and children do not have good decision making skills or the judgment to understand they are putting themselves at risk when sexting.

[RandySF]

1. The fact that he has a kik account opens another can of worms.

[MontanaMama]

2. 100%

This is so problematic. I am baffled why so many here on DU can’t see it.

[RandySF]

3. I didn't even know about kik until yesterday.

[niyad]

12. Neither did I. I considerd it remarkable that I even knew about grindr

for example, but only because a riend explained it.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Is he a GQP plant?

All the misfits in the administration but the GQP holds this guy to task? aka rubbing it in? And we lose to (shaky) Collins again?

[Irish_Dem]

5. You raise a good questions.

The entire thing is shaky for the reasons you cite.
Entire state is blue and this is the best they have?

Who benefits and how?

[niyad]

11. A number of us have wondered the same. I asked the DNC what

was going on with their vetting that he was able to slide through. A friend and I both think in terms of the Trojan Horse.

[bucolic_frolic]

13. There are unexplained anomalies

Mitch winning KY with a 20% approval rating. It's like we are a party to multiple legacy gentleman's understandings.

Collins performed bespectacled bothsiderisms with concern, and that sold voters for more than a generation??

Hat's off to ya!

[snot]

6. Not great for your career, either -

e.g., remember Anthony Weiner's?

[Irish_Dem]

7. It also leads to blackmail.

Not good for someone's career at all.

You are then working for the blackmailers who will tell you how to do your job.

[Skittles]

8. excellent post

[Irish_Dem]

9. Thank you Skittles.

[niyad]

10. Thank you so much for posting this important information. This

topic is certainly getting much attention, and little deep understanding.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Thank you niyad. People think sexting is harmless. It is not.

And it is a particular threat for females

The research shows that when a female sends a male explicit material
he is more likely to show it to his pals and acquaintances.
Which increases the chance of revenge porn and blackmail.

[jmbar2]

16. We don't know if all of his recipients were consensual, or limited to KIKK.

If he did it to anyone in his campaign, or volunteers, it is sexual harassment. Sexting at work puts the recipient into an extremely stressful position that damages work relationships. The onus is on the recipient to resolve the suddenly-shifted relationship dynamic.

Most importantly, he exposed his wife -- the other person most-affected financially and emotionally in his campaign -- to humiliation and fear that everything they worked towards will collapse. She has managed to respond with a level of grace that I wouldn't be able to muster.

The way he treated her really bothers me. It's hard to trust a man that would do that to his wife.

[Irish_Dem]

17. Excellent points.

Yes if in a workplace setting, it raises legal issues.
And judgement issues.

Yes interacting sexually with others outside the marriage is a betrayal of trust,
but also affairs that pose a threat to the marriage in a number of ways as you point out.

Yes you are right, damage to the wife, marriage, possibly the organization or companies
affiliated with the people doing the sexting.

And damage to one's own reputation, judgement, etc.