Recently a young woman killed herself because she was horrified to learn that her ex boyfriend had texted pictures of her, nude pictures of her that she had sent to him, to over a hundred people.
I don’t understand why teens send nude pictures of themselves to anyone. I understand that they don’t think ahead and that they probably trust whomever they are sending the pictures to but still I don’t get it.
This story is getting a lot of attention because it speaks to the dangers of technology. Anytime a child commits suicide it is a big story but I wonder why we don’t hear more about the teens who kill themselves because they are gay and are afraid to tell anyone. That should be a story that gets a lot more air time because it happens far too frequently.
And it is no different when a teen commits suicide because they are gay or like this young woman who had sent nude photos of herself to an untrustworthy boyfriend. They both felt more shame than they could handle.
Merriam Webster defines shame as such:
a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety
It is simply a shame that these kids feel this intense kind of pain.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s very sad. I know of sites where all the guys do is try to get photos of young girls who are still a bit naive. If they don’t fork them over, they are labeled a prude. Sometimes peer pressure gets the best of them. What they do not realize is that there is no one that is trust worthy enough to have photos of you they could send to 100′s of people in seconds. No…in this day and age it’s no longer safe with technology what it is. You can’t just destroy a negative anymore. It is all too common however.
I couldn’t agree with you more. It is so sad that they feel this much pain. Both in the case of the girl and in the case of kids who have nowhere to turn when the feel they are gay and will not be accepted. Especially at such a fragile time of life.
It is a shame they feel they have no where to turn and no one to talk to. Nor do I think they completely understand the finality of their decision.
Things can get better…
I have a few thoughts on this topic, not that they are all right, but I do think a lot.
1- Why do kids do this? That is the number one thought I have. Is it peer pressure, feeling of invincibility, or the risk factor.
2- Why do they commit suicide? Why are they ashamed, if they thought it was OK to do to begin with? The naked body is not shameful, it is society that makes nudity shameful. I am not saying I agree with what they do.
3- Why are parents not taking accountability for what their children are doing? I am sorry but that is why they are called children, and not adults. Parents should be checking what they are doing on their phones, and or computers.
4- Whomever is sending the pictures to others should be charged with a crime. Why are they not held to some responsibility?
5- Will we never learn that being cruel to each other, and violating their privacy is not funny,and comes with consequences to these actions, or do we just not care anymore?