Young Australians are peppered with advice and threats over the dangers of sending explicit images of themselves. But experts say both the law and the curriculum is lagging behind experience, and too often girls take the blame and face the shame. When Erin was 17, she went along to a seminar with her year 11 class where she was told not to photograph herself naked — and definitely not to send such a picture to someone else. An older woman who had experienced first-hand how badly it could go wrong warned that repercussions could come at once, if the image was shared without her consent, or in the future, if it came to the attention of potential employers. This was coming from a fairly liberal and progressive school. Then in person, that makes sex better. But she sometimes worries that those she has sent in the past may one day be circulated without her consent.

Less than half of high-school students are having sex, with fewer partners and more contraception than the generation before them. Teen-pregnancy rates have never been lower. But those indicators no longer offer a complete picture: online, teens are bucking the trend. The steady climb may reflect rising smartphone use and changing social norms. In about half of states it is illegal for unders to sext, on child-pornography grounds.

According to a statement from the office, Jonathan K. Rai, 70, knew the boy and his sister because they were family friends. The teen was able to describe the assault in detail and identified Rai by name. The teen sent Rai the sexually explicit content and received the money in return. Rai is charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, corruption of minors and indecent assault according to online court dockets.