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Navigating the Challenges of Sextortion with a Brain-Science-Informed Approach

December 3, 2023

Our hair is on fire again:

We recently watched a news segment featuring an interview with a social media safety advocate here in Canada, addressing youth prevention strategies to online sextortion. Their recommendation – advise young people not to capture and send pictures of their bodies, essentially advocating for a message of “abstinence.” While it’s true that refraining from sending explicit photos can prevent sextortion, the stark reality remains that despite years of hearing this message from parents and educators, many youth continue to share such content.

In our experiences dealing with 295 cases of sextortion and assisting affected families, it became very evident that the majority of young individuals had indeed heard the message “Do not take a picture of your body and send it” repeatedly from both parents and teachers – and we mean “repeatedly”. However, they confessed to still engaging in this behavior, often frustrated that they had done so even though they knew better.

Here’s the “why” – in the tumultuous world of adolescence, the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, experiences remarkable development. This region governs decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation – skills that aren’t fully mature until their mid-20s. Consequently, teenagers often grapple with inhibiting impulses, weighing consequences, and making sound judgments, especially with teens who are becoming sexually inquisitive. This is something that the sextorter takes advantage of.

The teenage brain is inherently wired to seek novelty and take risks, which is a vital part of the learning process. While this drive can be advantageous for personal growth, it also poses challenges as it may lead to activities that concern parents such as sexting and sextortion. 

Given the unique challenges posed by the developing teenage brain, it’s essential to re-evaluate traditional approaches, such as promoting “Do not take a picture of your body and send it” in isolation. The teenage brain’s natural inclination towards seeking novelty and taking risks can make such a message less effective. Instead, a comprehensive age -appropriate risk reduction approach that combines education, open communication, and realistic expectations may prove more beneficial in guiding teenagers towards responsible decision-making no matter what their actions online. This is something that we do in our digital literacy and internet safety programs for youth.

By understanding the intricacies of the teenage brain and adopting effective communication strategies, parents and educators can create an environment that encourages responsible informed decision-making. Yes! – sharing the message of abstinence is still important, especially when it comes to pre-teens, but let’s move beyond simplistic solutions like “Do not take a picture of your body and send it”, acknowledging the complexities of adolescence, brain development, their sexual inquisitiveness, and working together to help our kiddos make informed decisions in today’s onlife world based upon brain science!

Enlighten not frighten through facts not fear!

The White Hatter

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