Should You Consider A Sexting Restraining Order?

Sexting is a term used to describe “the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones.” According to a study from the University of Texas Medical Branch, over 30 percent of all people between ages 18 and 25 have exchanged naked pictures. Although this practice is not limited to young people, it is fair to assume that a significant number of young married couples have exchanged naked pictures. Some of these people are bound to get divorced. What will they do with these naked pictures of their spouse in the heat of a highly contested divorce battle?

Some people try to hurt their spouse any way they can. Naked pictures can create a unique opportunity to inflict pain on their partner. Photos can be uploaded to the internet, and once they are online it is impossible to remove them. Knowing about the online posting may cause severe emotional distress to the victim of this posting. Children of the spouse may discover the pictures and also suffer emotional distress. A potential employer may find the pictures with a simple Google search. This may negatively affect the spouse’s employment potential.

The harm that can be inflicted can be seen by looking at the many celebrities who have been exposed as their sexting pictures have made their way to the internet. Perhaps the most famous is Anthony Weiner, who resigned as a congressman after his sexting pictures were distributed. The problems that the celebrities suffer may pale next to the prospect of not finding a job because a vengeful spouse posted pictures on the internet.

It is now a crime in Massachusetts to publish private pictures that could be described as sexting photos without consent of the person depicted in the picture. Criminal penalties should be sufficient to deter someone from publishing the images. However, if the pictures are published, a criminal conviction may not correct the harm caused by the publication of the photos. If a person has threatened to publish such photos or has attempted to publish pictures or actually published such photos then you can get a domestic restraining order to stop future publications. Obtaining a restraining order to prevent publication of sexting pictures may be necessary to protect your mental health, your reputation, and your future employment opportunities.