Sexting scandal: 20 students charged at New Jersey high school

A recent police investigation in New Jersey high school found that more than a dozen middle and high school students traded explicit images of female students via text messaging and social media.

The prosecutor’s office in Cape May announced invasion of privacy charges against 19 juveniles and one adult, on Tuesday. The adult is an 18-year-old student.

The charge is a third-degree crime that can result in as many as five years in state prison for adults and two years in a training school for juveniles.

Officials at the Lower Cape May Regional High School and the Richard M. Teitelman Middle School learned of the sexting in April when a young female student reported that photos of her friend, who appeared naked, were being texted to male students.

Authorities confiscated 27 cellphones and found that numerous nude or partially nude photos of female students were exchanged between male students via text message and social media. numerous nude or partially nude photos of female students were exchanged between male students via text message and social media.

It is not clear how the students obtained the photos. Paul Skill, chief of investigators in Cape May County, told Mashable that no further information would be disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.

“The prevalence of ‘sexting’ among our High School and Middle School children is concerning,” said the prosecutor’s office in a statement. “It is imperative that these students understand the severity of their actions and the impact that their actions have on themselves, their victims, and the community.”

At least 20 states have passed legislation to address sexting between minors, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some of the bills make it illegal to exchange explicit images.

Elizabeth Englander, a professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University who focuses on cyberbullying in her research, told Mashable that laws against sexting and criminal prosecution are unlikely to deter minors from trading sexually charged photos.

“Sexting is relatively widespread,” she said. “These [criminal] cases are so rare that kids look at them and simply perceive them as exceptions.” “These [criminal] cases are so rare that kids look at them and simply perceive them as exceptions.”

Englander said that researchers don’t know enough yet about digital sexual harassment, which can include behaviors like posting revenge porn, coercing or blackmailing someone into providing an explicit photo, and sharing images of someone without their consent.

“We need to talk to kids about it,” she said, noting that teenagers might hear about traditional forms of sexual harassment in the classroom, but not understand the same behavior can extend to digital behavior.

“This is an issue,” Englander said, “that’s crying out for an intervention.”