A qualitative study of children, young people and 'sexting ... - NSPCC

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A qualitative study of children, young people and ‘sexting’ informed consent A discussion was undertaken with the head-teacher of each school participating in the research detailing a clear understanding of the ethical procedures to follow regarding child protection, data storage, confidentiality and informed consent. The research team obtained formal written consent at each phase of the research via written permissions from the legal guardians of all young people directly participating in the project. All parents and participants were given an information leaflet detailing what participation involved, and the research team explained this face- to-face in interviews answering all of the participants’ questions. Participants were informed they could withdraw from research activities or the study at any time. Participants were assured of confidentiality and we set out ground rules about confidentiality in focus group interviews, which we followed up in individual interviews. In writing up the research all participants have been anonymised with extra care taken to avoid identifying features. Self-chosen pseudonyms have been used when possible. The participating schools have been given pseudonyms, and again care was taken to make identification of the school and neighbourhood improbable. Alongside consent forms, accessible information was produced for schools covering all of the above issues, describing the research, and outlining support services. disclosure An area of particular ethical complexity with respect to this project was the management of disclosures by participants of abuse or criminal activity. There was also a risk that discussions about gendered and sexualised conflict and violence could raise discomfort. School counsellors and/or educational psychologists or behavioural support staff, were on hand, although no issues arose that we had to seek intervention around from school staff. Members of the research team had ‘enhanced’ Criminal Records Bureau clearance. All data has been held securely in the researchers’ workplaces and only members of the research team have had access to the full data set. Data that is digitised has been password protected. 24
children, young people And sexting: dAtA AnAlysis This study has shown that the phenomenon understood as sexting includes far greater diversity of practices than usually understood. Sexting may include boys asking girls for photos in their bra, bikini or with naked breasts etc.; boys claiming to have such photos on their phones; girls and boys sending sexually explicit messages over the phone or internet; the negotiation of sexual propositions on digital devices; the accessing and recirculation of pornography on phones; and the use of sexually explicit photographs on Facebook or as the default picture on networks such as Blackberry Messenger. The research also suggests that sexting – as a set of practices – is far more prevalent than previous assessments suggest. As mobile digital technologies come to permeate more and more aspects of young people’s lives, the production, consumption and distribution of sexual communications is becoming an increasingly taken-for-granted – yet problematic – feature of the social and cultural landscapes they inhabit. In the remainder of this report, then, our aim is to unpack the diverse practices that might be understood as ‘sexting’ and to understand how they are experienced by young people themselves. In order to contextualise sexting we argue that two broad framings are necessary: first, an appreciation of the importance of digital technologies–and particularly smart phones–in young people’s lives; and secondly, an understanding of the significance of the wider (‘sexualised’ and sexist) culture in which young people are growing up. In particular, we suggest an understanding of sexting would be misrepresentative and incomplete without the rich and detailed understanding of the school context that our fieldwork has provided. By locating young people’s experiences of sexting in the context of their everyday lives in school, the research has illuminated the profound impact of culture, class, race, sexuality and especially gender to the nature, practice and experience of sexting. As our analysis shows, sexting is a distinctively gendered set of practices. Modalities of ‘sexting’/ sexting scenarios Sending sexually explicit PIN broadcasts over Blackberry messaging (BBM), also responding to and negotiating sexual messages and requests • Asking for ‘bare’ photos mostly boys asking girls for photos in bra, bikini or topless • Posting sexually explicit Blackberry pin broadcasts and messages • Collecting bare photos (e.g. girls in bra or cleavage): several boys across both age groups claimed to have a collection, in some cases up to 30 peer produced images of teenage girls on their phone • ‘Exposing’ that is sharing, posting or distributing without the senders permission, sexually revealing or compromising photos • Screen munching: When ‘sex talk’, for instance promising a ‘blow job’ can be made public through munch screens on digital teen social networks and phones • Posting a sexually explicit photo (peer produced or professionally produced pornography including animated images) on Facebook, Blackberry (or other peer digital network) • Harassing others with sexually explicit images, for instance pornography on phones or by tagging other young people in the images 25
Page 1 and 2: A quAlitAtive study of children, yo
Page 3 and 4: tAble of contents Acknowledgements
Page 5 and 6: AcknowledgeMents We are grateful to
Page 7 and 8: However, the findings did reveal so
Page 9 and 10: introduction Children are positione
Page 11 and 12: A review of the reseArch literAture
Page 13 and 14: networking has indicated increased
Page 15 and 16: It is, therefore, important clearly
Page 17 and 18: Some recent titles about the sexual
Page 19 and 20: Methodology This study has been exp
Page 21 and 22: from different cultural, ethnic, re
Page 23: triangulation The research strategy
Page 27 and 28: This group discussion hints at the
Page 29 and 30: Sexting scenarios: Boys ‘owning
Page 31 and 32: R: Yeah, as soon as you see them al
Page 33 and 34: ‘Rushing’/being pushed down/
Page 35 and 36: 3. digitally mediated sexualised co
Page 37 and 38: Sexting scenarios: the BBM ‘defau
Page 39 and 40: R: Miss I don’t know if this is r
Page 41 and 42: their private communications. We ca
Page 43 and 44: I: What I want to know is if you gu
Page 45 and 46: 5. living with sexting: silence, re
Page 47 and 48: I: Because you kept it right? But s
Page 49 and 50: R: Erm, the last time? Recently bef
Page 51 and 52: to save face. Jodie (year 8, School
Page 53 and 54: conclusions This study sought to ad
Page 55 and 56: evidence bAsed policy recoMMendAtio
Page 57 and 58: ecommendations for parents Evidence
Page 59 and 60: Evidence based policy recommendatio
Page 61 and 62: Appendix 1 ‘Young people and mobi
Page 63 and 64: Page 3 Could there be problems for
Page 65 and 66: Appendix 2 Consent form ‘Young pe
Page 67 and 68: It is easier to approach someone yo
Page 69 and 70: Appendix 4: glossAry Adding friends
Page 71 and 72: eferences Albury, K., Funnell, N. a
Page 73 and 74: Jackson, S. and Vares, T. (2011)
Page 75:
Vares, T., Gill, R. and Jackson, S.
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A qualitative study of children, young people and 'sexting ... - NSPCC

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