Abstract
This article focuses on discourses of child safety and protection of stakeholder organisations (SOs) and school pastoral care co‐ordinators (PCCs) on educating young people about sexting. Individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with the representatives of four organisations who assist schools in the delivery of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE); and with three PCCs in three different types of secondary schools in Northern Ireland to ascertain how their school educates and responds to sexting. Focus groups were also conducted with 17 (10 girls and 7 boys) 16–17‐year‐olds to explore their views on sexting. The results of this study reveal that the predominant discourse in RSE is child safety and protection, and abstention from sexting. The three main groups (young people, SOs and PCCs) vary, however, in how they view sexting behaviour: the stakeholders are largely cautious and counsel against sending sexual pictures, while the young people regard it as normal behaviour. RSE provided by the schools is inadequate and unrealistic, and does not represent what actually goes on in young people’s sexual lives. Young people want to be consulted on the content of RSE lessons and resources; and RSE content should desist from telling them not to sext and enable them to explore appropriate relationship behaviours, including sexting. Teachers should feel confident in teaching such material and should have access to appropriate training.
Highlights
Young people engage in sexting for various reasons, ranging from seeking popularity to flirting, hoping to start a relationship and maintaining a relationship (Jørgensen et al, 2019)
The predominant discourse from the stakeholder organisations (SOs) was that of child safety: sexting is behaviour that young people should avoid for a variety of reasons, including that sexting is a form of sexual abuse and because it is selfish gratification
School staff are in loco parentis (Hunt, 2002), for whom the safety and welfare of young people is of the utmost importance to schools, resulting in a more cautious and conservative attitude towards young people and sexting
Summary
Young people engage in sexting for various reasons, ranging from seeking popularity to flirting, hoping to start a relationship and maintaining a relationship (Jørgensen et al, 2019). 295) report that conservative Christianity has ‘a strong influence over the education system, because schools receive government funding on the basis of having a Christian-based ethos and curriculum’. Northern Ireland is a conservative and religious society, whose Christian values strongly influence how RSE is taught, preventing open and inclusive dialogue about sex and sexualities (McBride & Schubotz, 2017). These values promote heteronormativity and abstinence until marriage, but inhibit young people’s sexual autonomy and expression, and undermine their status as sexual citizens. Young people in Northern Ireland are as vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation as young people (and adults) everywhere, and should have access to good-quality RSE that confronts such issues honestly and openly
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