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Title: These Teens Kept Their Sexting Private, But Cops Found Out. Now They Face Sex Offender Registry, Jail.
Source:
Reason
URL Source: http://reason.com/blog/2015/09/01/t ... s-kept-their-sexting-private-b
Published: Sep 1, 2015
Author: Robby Soave
Post Date: 2015-09-02 10:24:48 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 4014
Comments: 83
Fayetteville, North Carolina, cops have charged 17-year-old Cormega Copening with sexual exploitation of a minor—his girlfriend, who is the same age—because the couple sent each other nude photos of themselves during their relationship. There’s no evidence the photos were ever sent to anyone else, and police only became aware of them because they searched Copening’s phone for unrelated reasons that haven't been specified. Even so, the teen—formerly the starting quarterback at his high school—faces decades on the Sex Offender Registry and up to ten years behind bars if convicted. He’s also been benched from the team while Jack Britt High School investigates the matter. Copening’s girlfriend—who remains unnamed in the news articles—is also facing charges, ABC11 reported. These teen-sexting witch hunts are almost always outrageous; they conflate child pornography with something far less sinister. It’s perfectly normal—and wildly common—for kids to express an interest in sex. Should authority figures discourage underage sexting? Sure. Should they ruin kids’ lives for doing it anyway? Absolutely not. But Copening’s situation is more outrageous than most. As far as I can tell, the pictures weren’t shared with anyone else—this isn’t a case where a boy texted a girl’s nude photos to all of his friends and caused her some considerable public humiliation. The photos were private, and remained that way, until the cops got hold of them. If there’s public humiliation here, police intervention is the cause. Consider as well that Copening reciprocated with photos of his own. Does not a mutual, voluntary exchange of photos undercut the notion that “sexual exploitation” is a factor here? It’s more than a little ridiculous to accuse these two of exploiting each other—although this is precisely what the authorities are doing, I presume (the specific charges against the girlfriend were not reported). Lastly, it bears repeating that these teens were 17. If they had waited until they were 18 to send the photos, no crime would have occurred. Eighteen-year-olds are recognized as fully-autonomous sexual adults. Kylie Jenner, who just turned 18, has been inundated with requests to make a sex tape (indeed, filmmakers began making these requests even before she turned 18). The law, by its very nature, permits no nuance: you are 18, or you’re not. But it’s ridiculous to think that teens are magically transformed into adults on their 18th birthday. Many of them—perhaps Copening and his girlfriend—might be ready for mature relationships that involve sex (or, at least, sexy pictures) prior to the government’s randomly-selected date. There’s one more disturbing angle to this story. If Copening is too young to send pictures of his own body, is he not also too young to be made a social pariah? Don’t news agencies often withhold publication of the names of crime victims when they are underage? Copening is a crime victim, according to the police, but multiple local news agencies reported his name and the full situation. They reported on his suspension from the high school football team. They showed his headshot. They pointed out the likelihood that he will have to register as a sex offender. The criminal charges and possible jail time are the worst consequences of the police investigation, but the smearing of Copening’s name and ruining of his high school experience are also unfortunate outcomes—each of them much worse than the harm from a nude photo swap that would have never come to light if the cops had minded their own business. 
Dreamstime
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 40.
#4. To: Deckard (#0)
(Edited)
So private photos of an underage child are legal as long as you keep them private? Jared would disagree.
Jared would disagree. First off - they are both minors. Secondly, they both consented. Hardly the same as Jared.
The statement from the article was that the author felt that these pictures should be legal as long as they were kept private. "First off - they are both minors. Secondly, they both consented." What if they were both 14? 12? 10? Same thing? This should be allowed?
What if they were both 14? 12? 10? Same thing? This should be allowed? Tick...tick...tick...
Damn, Liberator. Lighten up here. When I was 12 peers my age were already talking about sex and some were even getting it on then. Stop acting like such a prude and get with reality. Kids and even teens today are more wiser than you would ever even imagine. And by the way, since when is it immoral for teens to be interested in sex? It's actually quite healthy and since parents don't teach their kids anymore about sex, expect the kiddies and teens to learn it elsewhere. That does not make them perverts or sex offenders unless one of them is over the age of 18 and engaging in sex with a minor. I believe those cops misrepresented the law as well as maligning the two teens community standing and reputation and I do believe those two teens have standing to sue the bitch out of those officers. Those unlawful search and seizure methods used were way beyond the pale and the punishment the cops want to enforce on these two minors does not fit the crime at all.
Do you have a daughter about the same age as this girl or at one time did? If so what was your home policy if you found the nude photos?
#46. To: redleghunter (#40)
If so what was your home policy if you found the nude photos? Are you doing a Taliban interrogation? They should have known better since all digital transmissions are captured including this one. My brother got fired/laid off and sent his dick pic to the boss who decided. I thought it was stupid, but I respect his right to free speech.
Well, first of all the nude photos would not bother me so much as the cops interrogating the kids and confiscating those nudie shots. That's what bothers me. Out where I lived teens these days were going to rave parties and just about everything that could happen does happen there. Teens todays are not like they were in your days. The motto in your day was probably this: "Children should be seen and not heard from". At least that is what it was in my days. Well, I refuse to raise children on that understanding. Each generation changes. As far as "home policy" on finding nude photos, I would always make my home a place where the kids can talk to me about anything regardless of what it is. Honesty on my part alone is the only way that I can gain the trust of the children and to help them maintain their high self-esteem. If you choose to lie to your kids and treat them like they are dumb they will find the answers elsewhere. Mostly, they will resent you!
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest"The photos were private, and remained that way, until the cops got hold of them. If there’s public humiliation here, police intervention is the cause."
#7. To: misterwhite (#4)
So private photos of an underage child are legal as long as you keep them private?
#9. To: Deckard (#7)
"Hardly the same as Jared."
#13. To: misterwhite, Deckard (#9)
"First off - they are both minors. Secondly, they both consented."
#20. To: Liberator (#13)
#40. To: goldilucky (#20)
Replies to Comment # 40. Do you have a daughter about the same age as this girl or at one time did?
#59. To: redleghunter (#40)
(Edited)
End Trace Mode for Comment # 40.
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