The Dutch organisation Slachtofferhulp Nederland (Victim Help Netherlands) starts a campaign for young victims of so-called shame sexting. The goal of the action is to let these people know there is help for them.According to the organisation, less than 5 per cent of the victims of online sexual intimidation asks for help. Sending messages or pictures with a sexual connotation (the so-called sexting) is not so much of a problem. Slachtofferhulp even states that this is part of the sexual development of young people. Shame sexting is sharing these images without permission, and that violates all boundaries. In 2020, more than 5 per cent of the Dutch older than 16 years said to be a victim of online sexual intimidation, Slachtofferhulp reports. The campaign includes posters and videos where young victims share their stories. They wear name necklaces with “shaming names” instead of their real name. At the end of the clip, the girls take off their necklaces. “Shaming is not who you are”, the video concludes. In addition, Slachtofferhulp will organise meetings for young people with the same experiences. “Studies show that teenagers distance themselves from adults during puberty. They would rather tell their story to their peers than their parents or counsellors.” Also, talking to people who experienced the same thing leads to recognition by the victim, Roy Heerkens, spokesman of Slachtofferhulp, says to the Reformatorisch Dagblad. Also, Slachtofferhulp offers judicial help. Heerkens says that the organisation assists in filing a report with the police and checking whether the images can be removed from the internet. Perpetrators Slachtofferhulp wants to make victims and their environment aware that feelings of guilt and shame are normal but unjustified. They furthermore want to show that there are several possibilities for help and advice in case of online sexual violence. In addition, the organisation wants to raise awareness among perpetrators of sexual violence of the consequences of their actions, Roy Heerkens says. “They can destroy lives.” Heerkens says that many youngsters become desperate after their nude appears online. “Everyone can see the pictures, which causes some even to consider suicide. Other victims will become depressed or develop anxiety disorders.” In the long term, young people can even become isolated from their social contacts, as they do not dare to go outside anymore. “And sometimes their friends reject them too.” Shame sexting causes fear, as young people experience threats and lack of control, psychosocial expert Jiska Dijk from Slachtofferhulp says. “They question who saw the images and when they will reappear again. That is a heavy load. In addition, the unwanted sharing of nudes causes shame. Young people wonder what others think of them.” Experiment It is quite common for adolescents to experiment with things, but sending nudes goes too far, Sjoerd van den Berg says to the Reformatorisch Dagblad. He leads a sexual education project for a Dutch Reformed education institute. The campaign of Slachtofferhulp is a good thing, Van den Berg says. However, he would have preferred the organisation to actively discourage the sending of nudes. “Sexting happens, also at Christian schools. You can accept this for a fact, but it is better to start a conversation about resilience, self-image and specifying boundaries”, he argues. Even though young people know the risks of sending nudes, they do not always act rational, Van den Berg points out. He explains that young people are often curious and like to experiment. Sometimes, they sent a nude on a whim. Parents and schools should talk to young people about sexting without judging them, Van den Berg advises. “Keep the conversation open and talk about dignity, responsibility and the consequences of their actions.” To perpetrators of online sexual violence, Van den Berg says that they should empathise with the victims. “Take responsibility for your action and think about how you can make up for your deed. Also, realise that you do not live on this earth for yourself and that Jesus commands us to love our neighbour.”
| umber of young people who became victims of shame sexting has skyrocketed during the past years. Five years ago, dozens of victims came to Slachtofferhulp. Now, this number has grown to hundreds. This year, 400 people reported shame sexting to Slachtofferhulp. That is twice as many as last year. According to Roy Heerkens, spokesperson of Slachtofferhulp, about a quarter of Dutch primary schools and 39 per cent of secondary schools has to deal with the problem. Cyberbullying is also a problem in Germany, PRO reports. About 17 per cent of all school children in the country became victims of online violence, which includes sexting, a study called Cyberlife shows. Approximately 25 per cent of teenagers between 15 and 16 years were affected in 2022. They experience insults, exclusion and slander online. The Covid pandemic has worsened cyberbullying. Almost two-thirds of the 3,011 students who participated in the research and half of the 1,053 parents and 355 teachers share this opinion. |
