LETHBRIDGE -Earlier this week, Okotoks RCMP charged three male high school students after they allegedly shared intimate images of their female peers. The youths are charged with distribution of intimate images – a new law that makes it a criminal offence to share such images without the consent of the person in the photo.
“When they distribute or have in their possession any types of pictures that are explicit, without the other person’s consent, it is a child pornography,” Const. Kim Pierzchala, school recourse officer with the Lethbridge Regional Police Service, said. “These actions do hold extreme penalties and the courts take it very seriously.”
It’s a trend known as sexting – when people send explicit messages or photos via smartphones over text or social media apps like Snapchat.
“It’s going to be a part of the cirriculum,” Rik Jesse, director of technology for School Board 51, said.”Digital citizenship is taken very seriously. It’s my role to work with classroom teachers throughout the district to share resources and to inform them up to date with latest technology.”
Pierzchala deals with sexting daily at Lethbridge schoools and says there have not been any criminal charges against any of the students.
“That’s why we are in place in the schools. We understand kids do make mistakes, we are there to mentor them and to help guide them,” Pierzchala said.
She said the effects of such incidents can last a life time.
“A previous student came back into school and the student had a picture circulating again,” Pierzchala said. “She was heading into a professional career and this picture was hindering her chances of coming back out onto social media.”
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