Stay woke, your teenagers might be sexting

Adolescence is an age full of exploration and experimentation, not least in matters related to sexuality. When you add technology, adolescents will be up there in terms of what they may be willing to try. Smart gadgets including phones and computers, and the omnipresent connectivity within social media circles all play their roles in facilitating adolescent behaviour.

Short messaging, mostly referred to as SMS or texting, is a favourite communication tool for adolescents. And then there is sexting, which is the practice of sending sexually explicit messages and/or pictures to friends or social media contacts. Sexual content can easily be accessed from the web, or it can also be self-created. The eventual sharing of such content can lead to all sorts of risky sexual behaviour and consequent reproductive health issues.