Non-consensual sexting: characteristics and motives of youths who share received-intimate content without consent
Yara Barrense-Dias
A D , Christina Akre A , Diane Auderset A , Brigitte Leeners B , Davide Morselli C and Joan-Carles Surís A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Research Group on Adolescent Health (GRSA), Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Route de la Corniche 10, 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland.
B Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
C Institute of Social Sciences & NCCR LIVES, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
D Corresponding author. Email: yara.barrense-dias@unisante.ch
Sexual Health 17(3) 270-278 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH19201
Submitted: 12 November 2019 Accepted: 31 March 2020 Published: 29 June 2020
Abstract
Background: One of the possible negative consequences of sexting is the non-consensual sharing of received-intimate content. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and motives of youths who shared received-intimate images without consent. Methods: Data were obtained from a self-administrated Swiss survey on sexual behaviours among young adults (aged 24–26 years). Out of the 7142 participants, 5175 responded to the question ‘Have you ever shared (forwarding or showing) a sexy photograph/video of someone else (known or unknown) without consent’?; 85% had never shared (Never), 6% had shared once (Once) and 9% had shared several times (Several). Data are presented as relative risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Participants who had shared received-intimate content without consent had higher odds of being male [2.73 (2.14–3.47)], foreign-born [1.45 (1.04–2.03)], reporting a non-heterosexual orientation [1.46 (1.10–1.93)], having sent one’s own intimate image [1.76 (1.32–2.34)] and receiving a shared-intimate image of someone unknown [4.56 (3.28–6.36)] or known [2.76 (1.52–5.01)] compared with participants who had never shared. The main reported motivations were for fun (62%), showing off (30%) and failure to realise what they were doing (9%). Conclusions: Given the reported motivations, it appears crucial to remind youths of the seriousness of non-consensual sharing. Although females may also be perpetrators, the behaviour was more prevalent among males. Prevention and education need to consider a broad range of young people in their scenarios. Even if a particular focus on understanding and preventing males’ perpetration must be considered, overall perpetration, including female’s, must be discussed.
Additional keywords: adolescents, Internet, violence.
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