Parents are being urged to become more aware of the risks of children and young people “sexting” or sharing inappropriate or explicit images online or through mobile phones.

‘Sexting’ is an increasingly common activity among children and young people, where they share inappropriate or explicit images.

Karen Evans, of the North East Hampshire Domestic Abuse Forum said: “As a parent, it is vital to understand these kind of risks so you can talk to your child about how to stay safe and what to do if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable. Most young people do not see ‘sexting’ as a problem and don’t like to talk to adults about it because they are afraid of being judged or having their phones taken away.”

‘Sexting’ is the exchange of self-generated sexually explicit images, through mobile picture messages or webcams over the internet. Young people may also call it cybersex or sending a nudie, picture or selfie. There was a 28 per cent increase in calls to ChildLine in 2012/13* (compared to the previous year) that mentioned ‘sexting’ – nearly one every day.

“Sexting”, though increasingly common, is illegal. By sending an explicit image, a young person is producing and distributing child abuse images and risks being prosecuted, even if the picture is taken and shared with their permission.

Councillor Robert Tate, Chair of the Safer North Hampshire community safety partnership * said:  “It is so easy to send a photo or message but the sender has no control about how it may be used or passed on. When images are stored or shared online, they become public. We should all realise that information published online is always available. They can be deleted or may only last a few seconds on apps like Snapchat, but images can still be saved or copied by others. These images may never be completely removed. “Sexting” can also leave young people vulnerable to blackmail, bullying and unwanted attention.

“It may feel awkward but, as a parent, it’s important to explain to your child the risks of ‘sexting’, how to stay safe and that they can talk to you if something ever makes them feel scared or uncomfortable.”