273. Sexting That Goes Wrong: Characteristics And Motives of Youths Who Share Received Intimate Content With Others

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Research on non-consensual sharing of received intimate content with others among youth is scarce, as it has mainly focused on sending and receiving such content. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and motives of youths who share received intimate photo/video with other people. 5175 young adults (51% males) aged 24-28 took part in a Swiss study on sexual health in 2017 and were divided according to their answer to a question on non-consensual sharing of received intimate photo/video: 4396 (85%) never shared (NO group), 292 (6%) shared once (ONE group) and 487 (9%) shared several times (MORE group). Groups were compared on socio-demographic and education data, mental health, puberty onset, life satisfaction, first steady relationship satisfaction, sexual orientation (identity, attraction and partner(s) sex), and sexual educators (parents or school vs other). Significant variables at the bivariate level were included in a multinomial analysis using the NO group as reference. Results are given as relative risk ratios (RRR). Additionally, the ONE and MORE groups were compared on motives for non-consensual sharing. At the bivariate level, participants in the ONE and MORE groups were significantly more likely to be males and foreign-born, to reach a lower education level, to report poorer mental health, a non-heterosexual orientation, a lower life satisfaction, and having had other sources of sexual education. Additionally, those in the MORE groups were more likely to report an unsatisfying first steady relationship. No other significant differences were found. In the multivariate analysis, compared to the NO group, participants in the ONE group were more likely to be males (RRR 2.08), to report poorer mental health (1.51) and a non-heterosexual orientation (1.73). Participants in the MORE group were more likely to be males (3.63), to report an unsatisfying first steady relationship (1.40), a non-heterosexual orientation (2.07) and other sexual educators (1.56). Additional analyses conducted by gender did not add further information. The main motive for sharing received intimate content with others was for fun (61%) followed by showing off (32%) and not realizing what they were doing (8%). Participants in the MORE group were more likely to report showing off (37% vs. 22%) while those in the ONE group were more likely to report not realizing what they were doing (15% vs. 5%). In terms of gender, males were more likely to report showing off (40% vs. 11%) while females were more likely to report for fun (69% vs. 58%). These differences were significant. Almost one participant in seven reported a non-consensual sharing of a received intimate photo/video, most of them having done it several times. Males with a non-heterosexual orientation who received sexual education by other means than parents/school are particularly at-risk. Given the reported motivations such as fun and failure to realize what they were doing, it appears crucial to remind young people of the seriousness and possible consequences of such an action. Prevention and research should rather focus on non-consensual sharing than on consensual sexting.