Sharing Nudes

Sharing photos, videos and live streams online is an everyday occurrence for many children and young people. It’s easy for anyone to share photos and videos via 1-to-1 messaging apps, social media, chat forums, gaming platforms, air-drop functions and image sharing platforms.

Children and young people may create and share nude and semi-nude images of themselves or others for several reasons which are not always motivated by sexual or criminal intentions, or because of coercion. However, if those images are shared further it can lead to embarrassment, bullying, a vulnerability to blackmail and exploitation.

Producing, possessing and sharing nudes and semi-nudes of under 18s is illegal, which makes our response a complex process. Responses may differ depending on the motivations behind the incident.

Education settings should respond swiftly and confidently to ensure children and young people are educated about the risks, supported and protected.

The terms used, and their understanding, can differ between professionals, children and young people, and parents and carers. When discussing the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes, it’s important to stay up to date with the terminology used by children and young people and ensure everyone knows and understands what is being discussed.

Alternative terms used by adults include:

• Youth produced sexual imagery or ‘youth involved’ sexual imagery.
• Indecent imagery. This is the legal term used to define nude or semi-nude images and videos of people under 18.
• ‘Sexting’. Many use this term, but some people interpret sexting as ‘writing and sharing flirty or explicit messages with people they know’ rather than sharing images.
• Image-based sexual abuse. This term may be used when referring to the non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes.
• ‘Revenge porn’ and ‘upskirting’ are also used to refer to specific incidents of nudes and semi-nudes being created/shared.

While we focus on the issue of sending and receiving sexual images of under 18s because it’s illegal, we must remember that unwanted rude or sexually explicit text messages or emails can be just as abusive for the recipient. We must also ensure that children and young people know what to do if they receive an inappropriate written message that upsets them.

Guidance from UKCIS says if a young person is found creating or sharing nude or semi-nude images, the police can choose to record that a crime has been committed but that taking formal action isn’t in the public interest. Crimes recorded this way are unlikely to appear on future records or checks, unless the young person has been involved in other similar activities which may indicate that they’re a risk. The police are more likely to take action if there are aggravating features, such as a lack of consent or malicious intent.

Additional vulnerabilities

Any child may share nude or semi-nude images. The 2020 Cybersurvey by Youth Works, Locked Down and Online, says young people with worries about their home life, an eating disorder and mental health concerns were more likely to create and share nudes and semi-nudes. Children in care (particularly those in residential care and those with interrupted care histories) and those struggling with their sexual identity are also more likely to share nudes and semi-nudes.

Young people struggling with some of these issues should have someone to talk to in the school who takes responsibility to listen to them, to talk to family and other teachers, and who can take action to keep them safe.

The Ministry of Justice says 76% of girls aged 12-18 had been sent unsolicited nude images of boys or men. In a BBC report, one young woman said that when they were at school receiving nude images had become “so normalised” children and young people don’t even think about it and “just delete it” without telling anyone.

We should not rely on young people to identify their own abuse – often, they don’t know they’re being abused or feel unable to tell us.

Prevention

How we respond to these incidents – including incidents of ‘low-level’ harmful sexual behaviour – directly affects the culture of the setting. If handled poorly, it can normalise unsafe and unhealthy behaviours that enables child-on-child abuse and may prevent other children and young people from speaking out.

Create an environment based on equality and informed choice – help young people think about the issues and attitudes behind sending nude and semi-nude images, particularly in relation to gender equality.

• Explain the risks of sharing nudes and semi-nudes.
• Discuss the motivations of the person who requested the image.
• Be non-judgmental.
• Encourage them to share their concerns with a trusted adult.

Ensure young people know the risks – talk about sharing nude and semi-nude images at an age-appropriate level from the later years of primary. The age range of people sharing nudes and semi nudes can vary due to a variety of factors, including maturity, relationship status and sexuality.

Check young people have safe relationships – in their family, with their peers and with your staff. Create an environment where it’s okay to talk even about the most difficult things.

Spot the signs and know what to do – use the checklists above, your safeguarding procedures and be confident to raise sharing nudes and semi-nudes as a possibility.

Take action – and keep taking action until you know children and young people are safe.