Strabane schoolchildren learn the dangers of ‘sexting’

Local schoolchildren have been working with Derry and Strabane Policing and Community Safety Partnership to learn the dangers of ‘sexting’.

The new campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks of sending explicit text messages.

Students from Holy Cross College were among the young people who learned more about the impact of ‘sexting’ as part of an awareness programme being delivered by the PCSP in partnership with the Western Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership.

The campaign has been launched as part of Sexual Abuse/Sexual Violence Weekend to highlight the message ‘it’s not okay’.

Students were asked to consider the impact of sending sexual texts, with one of the key warnings being the lack of control over any intimate content which is sent by social media.

Policing and Community Safety Partnership Chairperson, Cllr Gus Hastings, explained:

“The campaign seeks to highlight how vulnerable people are once they engage in this type of behaviour, and to drive home the message that any content intended for friends can very easily be circulated to a much wider audience of strangers.

“This can have devastating consequences, and leave young people vulnerable and at risk.”

During the programme teachers are being asked to draw the comparison with sexting and standing naked in front of a school assembly – both equally exposing even though it may not seem that way initially.

It’s hoped that by educating young people it will raise awareness about the implications of circulating inappropriate material for themselves and their family.

As part of this initiative, the PCSP provided resources to schools including bespoke screen wipes for mobile phones which have the contact details for a number of support organisations.