The Nova Scotia RCMP Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee has released a short video on the dangers of sharing intimate images. The committee, which is a volunteer group made up of high school students from across Nova Scotia, identified this as a top area of concern for youth safety.
An intimate image is a visual recording of a person. This includes photos and videos in which a person is nude, exposing their genitals, butt or breasts or is engaged in sexual activity.
There are two videos: one is for a youth audience and the other is for parents, guardians and those that work with youth. In both videos, Nova Scotia RCMP Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee members are interviewed for their perspective on the issue, what they believe the risks are and what can be done to protect youth.
"We're asking Nova Scotians to share these videos with their social networks to discourage youth from requesting intimate images and to empower them to refuse requests for intimate images," says Cst. Jeff Wilson, School Safety Resource Officer for the Nova Scotia RCMP. "We also hope these videos to help adults better understand the issue and support the youth in their lives."
Requesting and sending intimate images is dangerous for many reasons. It can result in trauma, sextortion, bullying, regret and even criminal charges for child pornography.
Learn more about how you can protect yourself and others from the dangers of sharing intimate images by watching the videos on Facebook, Youtube or Twitter and share using the hashtag #StopAskingStopSending.
"It's happening all the time," says a youth interviewed in the video. "…Some (people) are as young as 13…when they get asked for pictures like that," says another.
If you have concerns about an intimate image, contact your local police, or, if you live in RCMP jurisdiction, call the RCMP at 1-800-803-7267 (RCMP).
The Nova Scotia RCMP Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee is a group of high school students from across Nova Scotia. The committee works with School Safety Resource Officers to share information about cybercrime, cyberbullying and to identify cyber trends commonly used by youth. If you are interested in joining the committee, speak to your School Safety Resource Officer.
Video for adults
Dangers of Sharing Intimate Images (video for parents and educators) - Transcript
(Music plays)
(Text appears on the screen):
Nova Scotia RCMP Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee presents
The Dangers of Sharing Intimate Images
So what is an intimate image?
An intimate image is a visual recording of a person. This includes photos and videos in which a person is nude, exposing their genitals, butt or breasts or is engaged in sexual activity.
We asked our Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee what they think about sharing intimate images and how students can protect themselves. Here's what they had to say.
(Youth are sitting in chairs facing the camera. Text on the bottom of the screen reads, "Filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic.")
Interviewer: Is this something you think happens a lot for youth?
Youth: All the time.
Interviewer: So you think people are asking for images all the time?
Youth: 24/7. Yeah, every day.
Interviewer: Is this something that happens a lot?
Youth: All the time. Yeah.
Interviewer: It happens a lot?
Youth: Yeah. Yes.
Interviewer: Yeah. Definitely. One hundred per cent.
Youth: It's very casual and people will be messaging somebody randomly and, like, you won't expect it, and then all of a sudden it's like, whoa.
At times it's not even full sentences. Just text. Nudes, question mark.
They usually say, "send", with a question mark, or, "send pics", or something like that.
I think, like, seventh grade is where it kind of starts and then it gets bigger in eighth grade. And then as it goes...
I believe some are as young as 13, as in, like, grade seven, where they get asked for pictures like that.
It's when people are coming more into technology and like...
Interviewer: Yeah, when you get your first cell phone.
Youth: Yeah. Yeah.
Interviewer: Why do you think youth are sharing intimate images?
Youth: They want to fit in. They think it's cool, I guess.
Yeah. Like you said, they see other people doing it, they want to be a part of it.
normalized, so they don't see the big issue.
Everything we do nowadays is so much with the Internet. So they think, oh, this is just normal. This is what happens.
I think they do it because they've heard some of their other friends doing it.
Because they want attention, affection, and a lot of people feel pressured into it and they just don't know how to say "no" to it.
Their own use and some people ask for it for the wrong reasons. Just kind of spread it around friend groups and all that.
Interviewer: And why do you think youth feel pressured to send or ask for intimate images?
Youth: Again, like, it's almost, like, a normal thing. So, like, if you don't, then you're not considered normal, but if you do, then you're, like, considered a slut or something like that. Yeah.
I think some people are insecure and they're looking for validation from others.
Not as, "Oh, I'm being pressured. I'm scared to do it," it's just, you're doing it and that's how normalized or common it's become, is that it no longer feels like you're pressured.
In the moment, they feel as if it's a good idea to send someone those images when some people will use those images against you and kind of, like, blackmail you for anything and say, like, "If you don't do this, I'm going to send these images you sent me around to, like, my friends and around everywhere."
Interviewer: Do you think this is something youth are talking to their parents about?
Youth: No, no. Probably not. Definitely not. No.
It's one of those things you don't really, because it's so easy not to bring up that stuff, because from bringing up that stuff you bring up issues, then you have to be vulnerable and then judgment or getting in trouble, so it's so much easier just to not say it in the first place.
And talking to your parents about anything sexual, in general, you feel it's kind of awkward.
A lot of parents aren't open with their kids like that.
Interviewer: So, what do you think youth can do to protect themselves if somebody asks them for an intimate image?
Youth: Don't do it.
Don't do it, yeah. Just just say, "no". It's just as simple as being, "no."
"No", block.
I have on my all of my social medias, there's privacy settings that I put up and everything like that.
A lot of kids are just so scared of telling their parents anything, honestly. Yeah, and I think, like, a lot of that does fall back on the parents because they need to talk to their kids and let them know, like, "You can talk to me about anything. And sure, there's consequences to anything you do, but you always have a safe place with me. You can trust me to help you out."
(Fades to black)
If you have concerns about an intimate image, reach out to your local police.
(RCMP signature: Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada)
(RCMP copyright: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2020.)
(Canada wordmark)
Video for youth
Dangers of Sharing Intimate Images (video for youth) - Transcript
(Music plays)
(Text appears on the screen):
Nova Scotia RCMP Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee presents
The Dangers of Sharing Intimate Images
So what is an intimate image?
An intimate image is a visual recording of a person. This includes photos and videos in which a person is nude, exposing their genitals, butt or breasts or is engaged in sexual activity.
We asked our Youth Cybercrime Advisory Committee what they think about sharing intimate images and how students can protect themselves. Here's what they had to say.
(Youth are sitting in chairs facing the camera. Text on the bottom of the screen reads, "Filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic.")
Interviewer: Is this something you think happens a lot for youth?
Youth: All the time, yeah.
Interviewer: You think people are asking for images all the time?
Youth: 24/7. Oh, yeah. Every day.
Interviewer: Is this something that happens a lot?
Youth: All the time. Yeah.
Interviewer: It happens a lot?
Youth: Yeah, yeah.
Yes. Yeah. Definitely. One hundred per cent. Probably, yeah. At times it's not even full sentences, just text. "Nudes" question mark.
Yeah.
If someone's forcing you to do it and, like, making you do it, that's not healthy.
At this age, a lot of people don't know what a healthy relationship is, so that seems normal. And then, you know, you talk to your friends or whatever, and they're like, "Oh yeah, you should, because you're dating them, so you should trust them."
But they just ask for it for their own use. And some people ask for, like, the wrong reasons or just kind of, like, spread it around friend groups and all that.
Some people can leak the images to other people around school.
And then you have a bad breakup and...Yeah, and then it's all over the place.
Interviewer: What do you think the risks are with sending an intimate image?
Youth: Rumours and people sharing your pictures.
It can go anywhere as soon as someone saves it.
Interviewer: And what are some of the risks of asking a teen or a preteen for an intimate image of themselves?
Youth: You might get in trouble from your parents, a school administrator, or maybe even the police.
You can get charged for it, for having them. For having the picture, or sending the picture, kind of thing. Like, you can get charged for both of them because that's child pornography.
If someone is pressuring you to send something like that and they're, like, constantly, like, they're a big part of your life and they're pressuring you, they shouldn't be a part of your life.
Interviewer: So what do you think youth can do to protect themselves if somebody asks them for an intimate image?
Youth: Don't do it.
Yeah, just say no. It's just as simple as being, "no". No, block.
I have on all of my social medias, there's privacy settings that I put up and everything like that.
They could either show their parents or just block them immediately or tell them no and then block them. Either way, getting rid of the person off your social media is a good idea because they'll always probably ask you again.
Think about your future.
Yeah, it's not worth that risk.
No, it's not.
(Fades to black)
If you have concerns about an intimate image, talk to an adult you trust or call police.
(RCMP signature: Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada)
(RCMP copyright: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2020.)
(Canada wordmark)