Sexting and Relationships - discussion questions
Self-Disclosure in Relationships
Self-disclosure: sharing private, sensitive, or confidential information about oneself with others
1. What are examples of self-disclosure?
2. Can people deepen their relationships by self-disclosing?
3. Are there types of self-disclosure that people should be careful about sharing with others?
4. How might self-disclosing using digital technologies be even more risky than face-to-face?
Sexting: Risky Self-Disclosure
Sexting: sending or receiving sexually explicit photos or videos by text message or other digital technologies
1. Why did Ally share the nude picture of herself with her ex-boyfriend?
2. Why do you think Ally's ex-boyfriend forwarded the picture to others?
3. How might Ally have felt after she found out the photo was sent around?
4. Looking back on the situation, Ally has a different perspective on what happened. What did she later realize?
5. What if the tables were turned, and Ally had forwarded a sext that her ex-boyfriend had sent her. Would people have reacted the same way at school? Would the boy have been called names, the same way that Ally was?
6. Do you think that sexting should be against the law?
How Should It End?
Read the handout and write an ending to the story.
1. Can you name at least three consequences that could happen if someone sexted?
2. In the moment - when asked to, or asking someone to sext - why might someone ignore these consequences? Are there worries, pressures, or other considerations that come into play? What would it take to make someone think twice before sexting?
Lesson Wrap-Up
1. Why is self-disclosing using digital technology risky?
2. Why should someone think twice before asking someone to, or sending, a text?
3. Is it ever okay to sext? Is it okay to pressure others to sext?
Game: NudeEcalls on ThatsNotCool.com
Quiz: Take the quiz to see what you know
Websites:
A Thin Line: Sexting: What is It?
Break the Cycle: Empowering Youth to End Domestic Violence
Love is Respect.org : Texting and Sexting - Is this abuse?
Additional reading:
A Girl's Nude Photo, and Altered Lives
Are 'Sext' Messages a Teenage Felony or Folly?
Self-disclosure: sharing private, sensitive, or confidential information about oneself with others
1. What are examples of self-disclosure?
2. Can people deepen their relationships by self-disclosing?
3. Are there types of self-disclosure that people should be careful about sharing with others?
4. How might self-disclosing using digital technologies be even more risky than face-to-face?
Sexting: Risky Self-Disclosure
Sexting: sending or receiving sexually explicit photos or videos by text message or other digital technologies
1. Why did Ally share the nude picture of herself with her ex-boyfriend?
2. Why do you think Ally's ex-boyfriend forwarded the picture to others?
3. How might Ally have felt after she found out the photo was sent around?
4. Looking back on the situation, Ally has a different perspective on what happened. What did she later realize?
5. What if the tables were turned, and Ally had forwarded a sext that her ex-boyfriend had sent her. Would people have reacted the same way at school? Would the boy have been called names, the same way that Ally was?
6. Do you think that sexting should be against the law?
How Should It End?
Read the handout and write an ending to the story.
1. Can you name at least three consequences that could happen if someone sexted?
2. In the moment - when asked to, or asking someone to sext - why might someone ignore these consequences? Are there worries, pressures, or other considerations that come into play? What would it take to make someone think twice before sexting?
Lesson Wrap-Up
1. Why is self-disclosing using digital technology risky?
2. Why should someone think twice before asking someone to, or sending, a text?
3. Is it ever okay to sext? Is it okay to pressure others to sext?
Game: NudeEcalls on ThatsNotCool.com
Quiz: Take the quiz to see what you know
Websites:
A Thin Line: Sexting: What is It?
Break the Cycle: Empowering Youth to End Domestic Violence
Love is Respect.org : Texting and Sexting - Is this abuse?
Additional reading:
A Girl's Nude Photo, and Altered Lives
Are 'Sext' Messages a Teenage Felony or Folly?