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Kentucky House Bill Seeks to Lessen Penalty for Sexting by Minors

What is the Appropriate Punishment? Let us Know What You Think

How serious is too serious when it comes to punishing the act of sexting by minors?

The Bowling Green Daily News recently reported that Kentucky state representative Jody, Richards, D-Bowling Green, has introduced House Bill 57—legislation that would lessen the punishment meted out for sexting by minors. Sexting is sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other digital device.

According to the article, minors would be charged with “a simple violation” for their first offense, and a misdemeanor for all following offenses.

Richards introduced this bill, the article said, in response to harsh punishments for sexting in other states. For example, one teen in Florida was registered as a sex offender for the next 25 years because of sending a nude photo of his girlfriend to friends.

Richards further explained her reasoning:

Sometimes kids or young people, not realizing the long-term damage they’re doing, can take pictures of people and publish them or send them out to others. We wanted to do this in a way that would be a punishment but not a lifelong taint.

Perhaps the most troubling thing is the casual stance some teens have toward sexting. The article quoted one girl that reflects this attitude:

Yeah, it happens a lot, my friends do it all the time. It’s not a big deal. Sometimes people will get into fights with their exes, and so they will send the nudes as blackmail, but it’s usually when or after you’ve been dating someone.

Instituting a less severe punishment for minors seems reasonable because, as all of us that were once at that stage in life can attest to, teens have a difficult time thinking through the consequences of their actions. Listing them as a sex offender at such an early age takes away the second chance that they are in need of.

What do you think? Please leave a comment below with your thoughts and feelings.

Categories: Cell Phone, Legal Issues

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