Sexting for Young Adults is Normal Behavior [SURVEY]

There is no denying we are fully immersed in the digital age. Over the last few years the craze of sexting, sending nude or erotic photos via text message, has landed some people in jail, suspended from school, or fired from a job. But is this considered normal behavior?

According to a University of Michigan research professor, Jose Bauermeister,  sexting in now considered normal behavior. He conducted a survey of close the 3,500 men and women ranging in age from 18-24 to determine behavioral outcomes. Through his research he noted that individuals did not show a reduction in self-esteem or self worth nor did they report riskier sexual behavior.

Bauermeister said that most of the participants sent the pictures to long term partners and generally was a reciprocal action. He further went on to state that most of the negative press regarding sexting was generally when teen and pre-teenagers sent sexts to friends or partners. His study group was a higher age bracket and when dealing with younger person who are sexting legality also becomes an issue.

The one thing that the researchers did not study or may not have had access to is what are the long term repercussions of sexting. For example, yes you may willingly send a sext to boyfriend, girlfriend, or fiance but what happens when that trusted relationship ends? That person most likely still has those images and good luck getting them back. In addition, when some long term relationships end they, from my personal experience only, are not very amicable.

If you end the relationship, and that person turns out to have a spiteful streak hidden some where in their being. Now those pictures can easily be distributed to the public at large and retaining legal services to slap an injunction on a former flame is not exactly cheap. Then you have the extended legal cost of proving your case in court. While it may seem to be considered normal behavior now for young adults to send sexts to one another the data is not there to represent the long term consequences of their actions. And not thinking of long term consequences of actions has been know to be normal behavior for the 18-24 age demographic. Do you consider sexting normal behavior now?