Page 31 - Silver Lakes July Issue 2023

TODAY’S CHILD

HOW TO DEAL WITH ONLINE

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

By Dr Ilse Ruane

nline sexual harassment is These messages can be difficult to ignore Why are teens behaving this way?
defined as “any unwanted sexual as they may be sent repeatedly or from We can only hypothesise as to why teens
Obehaviour online”. It can make multiple sources. are engaging in such behaviour. They
a person feel threatened, exploited, may be copying harmful behaviour they
coerced, humiliated, upset, sexualised or Another common form of online sexual see elsewhere, such as on TV or from
discriminated against. harassment is the sharing of explicit images. other adults, whether they know they
Teenagers may be pressured into sharing are doing this or not. They also copy
Online sexual harassment is a serious issue nude or sexual images of themselves or the behaviour of their peers and older
that affects many teens. It can take many may have these images shared without their sibling(s). Or, it could have started as a
forms, such as unwanted messages, explicit consent. This can be damaging to a teen’s joke between friends that went too far
images, and even threats of violence. reputation and can lead to feelings of shame and became offensive.
and embarrassment. These images can be
This type of harassment can have a used as a form of blackmail or coercion – Other possible reasons for this behaviour
significant impact on a teenager’s mental because the person who shared the images are that content may be shared by those
health, leading to anxiety, depression, and can use them to control or manipulate the who want to be popular, by people who
even suicide. It is important for parents and teen. are ‘sticking up’ for a friend, or because
educators to be aware of the signs of online of peer pressure. It may also be an effort
sexual harassment and to provide support Threats of violence are another form of to hurt others on purpose; for example,
for teens who may be experiencing it. It can online sexual harassment that teens may to hurt another young person after a
be difficult to detect as many children may face. These threats can be made through friendship or relationship break-up or to
be hesitant to report harassment out of social media, text messages or other online embarrass someone.
fear of retaliation or embarrassment. platforms. They can be troubling for teens,
causing them to feel unsafe and vulnerable. Whatever the reasons given for such
Many teenagers may not realise that they These threats can be difficult to ignore behaviour, teens need to understand the
are being harassed or may not understand as they may be made repeatedly or from consequences and the harm that ensues
the full extent of the harassment that they multiple sources and on various platforms. from such actions.
are experiencing. This can make it difficult
for parents and educators to provide
support and guidance for teens who are
facing online sexual harassment.

There are many ways in which teenagers
experience unwanted sexual behaviour
online from their peers. Some examples
are shown below.

One of the most common forms of online
sexual harassment is unwanted messages.
This can include messages that are sexually
explicit or suggestive, as well as messages
that are threatening or intimidating.
Teenagers may receive these messages
through social media (for example, Photo by Elisa Ventur – Unsplash
Instagram or Snapchat), text messages or
other online platforms. These messages
can be distressing for the child, causing
them to feel violated and unsafe.

INTRAMUROS JULY 2023 | 29