Sex, Young People and the Law

Activities: Sexting

These activities are part of the Sexting topic of the Sex, young people and the law education program developed by the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre and the Community Legal Education team at Victoria Legal Aid.

Activity one – What happens next?

Task: In groups of three to four, discuss the case study and what might happen next. Fill in the table below with possible impacts that the situation might have on each person: emotionally, socially (for example, at school or with friends or family) and legally. Also write where they could get help.

Case study: Noah is 15. He was in a relationship with a girl in his class named Kaylee, who is 14. While they were going out, Kaylee let Noah take photos of her topless with his phone. They didn’t show anyone else. Kaylee thought there was nothing wrong with this because it was her body and she was in control of what she did with it. When they broke up, Noah was really upset and he sent one of the photos to his mates. Kaylee found out and told her parents, who went to the police.

What could happen What could happen Where could they emotionally and legally? get help? socially?

For Noah

For Kayle e

For Noah’ s mates

© 2015 Victoria Legal Aid. First published February 2013. Third edition February 2015. Please contact us if you would like to re-use any of this publication in your own publications or websites. Email [email protected] Acknowledgements: We thank Victoria Legal Aid lawyers, Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, Charlotte Powell, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria for their input into this resource. Disclaimer: The material in this publication is a general guide only. It is not legal advice. If you need to, please get legal advice about your own particular situation.

1 2

2 Activity two – Class debate: Charge him!

Debate topic: Pham should be charged with breaking the law.

Case study: Pham is 15. He and his friends go out to a party on the weekend. The group starts playing party tricks. Pham decides to take photos of his dick and text the photos to girls at the party. Pham’s friends all think it’s pretty funny. Stacy, who is 18, gets a text message from Pham with a photo of his ‘dick trick’. She thinks it’s gross but sort of funny, and keeps it on her phone to send to her school friends.

Task: Get into teams of three or four. Your team will then be given a side to debate: FOR or AGAINST.

In your team, discuss the case study and come up with arguments to support your side of the debate. Use the questions below and what you have learnt about the law to help you come up with your arguments. There will be another group who will debate against you, for the other side. Think about what they might say, and how you can make your arguments more convincing.

Work out who in your team will speak first, second and third in the debate. Take notes so you remember what to say.

Each FOR team will then debate against an AGAINST team, taking it in turns to present their arguments. Your teacher or presenter will keep the time and judge whose arguments are the strongest and best presented.

Some things to think about when writing your arguments:

 What does the law say about Pham taking the pics?

 What does the law say about Stacy getting the pics?

 What are the consequences for Pham and Stacy if they are charged with breaking the law?

 Who, if anyone, do you think should get into legal trouble for these pics?

 Do you think the laws about sexting are fair?

 What do you think the law should say about young people sending sexy pics to each other?

 Is sexting part of life for young people?

 Is the law up to date with what young people think and do?

 What could happen to Pham’s pics? Who else could see them?

 How might Pham and Stacy feel?

 Is anyone else affected by these pics?