Sexting : analysing the Maltese response to an emerging crime

Abstract

Whenever the subject falls on child abuse, “[t]he most important thing in defining child sexual abuse is the experience of the child. It takes very little for a child’s world to be devastated. A single experience can have a profound impact on a child’s life” (Hough, 1991). Sexting, the act of sending explicit or indecent audio-visual files or text to another person, is another form of abuse. This study examines the characteristics pertaining to sexting from a domestic point of view. This study is the first of its kind in Malta and seeks to learn about the incidence, nature and characteristics from professionals who encounter cases of sexting during their course of their daily duties. Interviews with law enforcements officers, educators and support officers indicate that sexting is a real concern in Malta. Similar to other countries, findings from this study indicate that sexting is prevalent amongst young persons, regardless of any particular age group or gender. Findings also indicate that persons are pressured and sometimes even threatened into sending explicit or indecent images of themselves to others. They are sometimes coerced to do so under the guise of a real or perceived relationship. Findings also uncover another aspect of sexting, whereby the person communicates the sext spontaneously – without being requested to do so by the other party in order to impress the person at the other end. Findings also indicate that despite sexting not being new phenomenon individuals, particularly young persons; do not appreciate the risk of exchanging or posting explicit or indecent images of themselves. Professionals participating in this study agree that, although much work has already been done, there is still a lot to do in an attempt to increase awareness and safety amongst young internet users.