Provincial police are urging parents to speak to their kids about the dangers of sexting after a 13-year-old Norfolk County girl was encouraged to take nude photos of herself.
OPP say a concerned parent called them just before 8pm Tuesday after their 13-year-old daughter was asked for sexually explicit photos by another youth through social media.
The girl did not send the pictures and immediately told her parents.
Police believe the incident is cause for concern as there has been an increase in the number of reports of youths sexting with peers over the internet.
“Everyone needs to realize the long and short term dangers when requests are made to send out sexually explicit photographs," says OPP Constable Ed Sanchuk. "Those who distribute it also need to be aware of the criminal ramifications of doing so. Once it’s out there, you can’t get it back and you should not be embarrassed to speak to police about your concerns."
As porn culture becomes pop culture, police are asking parents to have an honest and frank discussion with their kids and explain that the images can often end up somewhere they may not want them to be.
Police also say parents should be prepared to offer kids information about who they can turn to if they need help.
Parents looking for more information on how to speak to their kids can visit the Canadian Centre for Child Protection's website.
