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Geauga officials put word out on 'sexting'
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - March 24, 2011)
Geauga officials put word out on 'sexting'
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Today, with a couple clicks of buttons, a young person's dreams of what life may be can be dashed.
That can be the devastating effects of "sexting," the sending of inappropriate, often obscene, visual images across cyberspace. It is the result of rapidly growing technology, things that were not even thought about 10 years ago.
And Geauga County is not immune.
After Geauga County Juvenile Court Judge Charles "Chip" Henry began seeing a growing number of teens involved in sexting, he said, he decided to provide a diversionary program for offenders.
That effort has grown into an educational forum for teens headed by Mark Clark, an investigator of child sex abuse cases with the Geauga County Prosecutor's Office, and Tracy Jordan, a victim's advocate for the Geauga County Sheriff's Department.
The program is the work of Geauga County Sheriff Daniel McClelland, Geauga County Prosecutor David Joyce and G. Timothy Taylor, director of Geauga County Jobs and Family Services, Tim Taylor.
Parents, teens and other members of the public are being invited to a public forum to learn about what Mr. Clark describes as an "ungodly phenomenon" now found in virtually every part of our country. The forum will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. March 29 at the Geauga County Jobs and Family Services building, 12480 Ravenwood Drive in Munson. Reservations are required and those interested are asked to call Rebecca Calabrese at (440) 285-9141, ext. 1265.
"We want to bring awareness to the parents about how dangerous it is for kids," Mr. Clark said.
Mr. Clark and Ms. Jordan have already initiated sessions with children from grades six through 12 in an effort to educate them of the dangers that are awaiting them. West Geauga, Cardinal, Kenston and Newbury students have all participated in the program, Mr. Clark said. Ledgemont is scheduled for the program at the end of this month, he said.
Mr. Clark said students are separated by gender for the sessions, making them a little more comfortable when they want to ask questions.
He said the students appear to understand the moral issues associated with the activity, but few know the legalities involved.
Mr. Clark said today the laws do little to separate sexting from other sexual crimes. Many can face felony charges and listing on sexual predator websites, often marking them for life.
Mr. Clark said that can make all the difference when those students seek the college of their choice or look to find employment.
There is a move at the state level with Ohio House Bill 473, Mr. Clark said, to lessen the penalties for such activities, but, for now, they face stiff and often life-altering punishments.
Mr. Clark said most of those involved had little understanding of what they were doing or its ramifications. "Sexting" is easy, Mr. Clark said, and can be done in a matter of seconds.
It may be the popular, attractive girl who wants to keep her boyfriend, so she gives in to his request for that picture of her, he said.
But that split-second decision can have lasting effects. "Once you make that decision, you can't take it back," he said. "It's there forever."
He said a congressional candidate found photos she had taken in college come back to haunt her. Once the photos were released, it ended her hope for that seat in Congress, he said.
Teens tend to feel impervious, he said, not realizing that the photo, expected to be shared by just two, could have such devastating effects on their life.
He said the sessions with students are not intended to scare them. He said often those types of programs involving scaring students do little to prevent the undesirable behavior. Students who look at smashed cars, he said, still will undertake the risky behavior of drunken driving, because they believe it cannot happen to them.
Instead, the programs are meant to educate them and get them to look at and respect themselves.
"No matter how you do this, this is self-destructive behavior," Mr. Clark said.
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