Child self-generated indecent imagery (sexting)
Child self-generated indecent imagery, formerly known as ‘sexting’, is the sharing of indecent images, videos or other sexual content of children.
If you are under 18, you may have heard of ‘sexting’. This can involve:
- sending flirty or sexual messages, including ‘nudes’, to other children
- adults exploiting, grooming or bullying you to share images
Once you share an image, you lose control of who can see it. You are also breaking the law.
Know the law
If you are under 18, it is against the law to:
- take, have or distribute a sexual photo, including selfies
- have or pass on indecent images of someone under 18
- encourage or incite someone to take or send ‘sexts’ or ‘nudes’
- take a photo of your own genitals, whether the image is shared on or not
As well as the legal consequences, ‘sexting’ can cause other emotional and reputational issues.
Police approach
All child self-generated indecent imagery reports are recorded as crimes, but this does not mean the person will get a criminal record.
To establish the facts, a police officer will assess whether there are any aggravating factors such as:
- exploitation
- coercion
- a profit motive
- adults, as perpetrators in the creation of the images
The officer will decide whether to investigate or use Outcome 21.
Investigations
If aggravating factors or significant risks are found, we will take control of the incident and an investigation will take place.
Outcome 21
If there are no aggravating factors, we will:
- support victims and assist schools and families through education and intervention
- utilise Outcome 21
Outcome 21 allows us to record a crime has been committed but that taking formal action is not 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 they are at risk.
The discretion about whether to disclose non-conviction information rests with each Chief Constable managing the process.
Although no guarantee can be provided, it will be a very small number of unusual cases which may lead to a further disclosure.
Think before you take or share photos
If you are under 18 and take or share an explicit image of yourself via your phone, tablet or computer, always ask yourself “would I be happy for my family, future employer or local police officer to see this?”
Once taken and sent, you have no control over what happens to the image and it could be sent to anyone and posted anywhere on the internet. Once you press send, it is no longer in your control.
Support agencies
NSPCC
- Guidance about keeping children safe online
- Information on sharing nudes and semi-nudes, including how to talk to your child about child self-generated indecent imagery
- If you are worried about a child or need further advice on keeping children safe, you can call the NSPCC helpline 24 hours a day on 0808 800 5000 to speak with a counsellor
Shore (Lucy Faithfull Foundation)
Shore is the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s new website for teenagers worried about sexual behaviour.
To support children and the professionals who work with them, it has launched four new animations about:
Related guidance
- If you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with a child online, you can report and get advice from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Safety Centre
- The South West Grid for Learning are a national support service that has a helpline for professionals for online safety and can assist with removing harmful content from service providers
- The Internet Watch Foundation is another national support service that can remove harmful content
- If you are concerned your child needs more support or if you are worried they are behaving in a sexually inappropriate way, you can also speak to your GP or you may have community-based services available