THX 4 ITS ? GNOC L8R? Gendered behaviour and opinions regarding sexting among secondary school learners

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase characterised by self-discovery and physical, cognitive and sexual development. The current generation of adolescents are forging identities not only through traditional means, but also using the internet and social networking platforms. Adolescents are not exempt from being exposed to sexually explicit content online, or to new forms of sexual exploration such as sexting. Sexting refers to sending, receiving and/or forwarding of nude or sexually suggestive photographs and/or videos and/or sexually explicit messages across social media platforms or internet-based applications. The exchange of sexually explicit content by minors is illegal and is governed both internationally and locally by laws often pertaining to child pornography. The present study explored the gender differences reported in terms of internet use, sexting behaviours and opinions regarding sexting. Key questions included: “What do adolescents use the internet for?”, “Have adolescents received, responded to, shared or sent a sext?” and “What are the implications of sexting?”. Data was collected from 83 learners (average age of 14.74 years) who attended two private schools in Gauteng. The self-administered questionnaire included the Sexting Behaviours Scale and the Internet Use and Sexting Opinions Scale. Data reduction took place in order to draw meaningful comparisons between male and female respondents. The Sexting Behaviours Scale revealed significant gender differences, for example, male respondents were significantly more likely to have sent a written sext, and to have had a sext shared with them when they were not the intended recipients. Significant differences were further noted, in terms of internet usage, where one in four male respondents agreed using the internet to learn about sex-related topics and nearly half have used the internet to flirt with someone. Most male and female respondents agreed that both boys and girls sext, but significant differences were noted regarding sentiments and perceptions towards sexting. Girls experienced more negative consequences, in particular, that “sexting made them feel unhappy with their bodies”. Interestingly, no gender differences were reported for the reasons behind adolescent sexting. Overall, the results speak to the need for a gender specific policy to effectively address the problem of adolescent sexting. Challenges regarding access to adolescent respondents and important themes for future research are discussed.