After reading how District Attorney Steve Billy outlined the numbers on teen sexting, it should scare parents.

Let’s recap:

• 75 percent of teens 12-17 have cell phones;

• 118 – that’s the average number of texts a teen sends in a day;

• 20 percent – or 1 in 5 – of teens have texted a sexually explicit image or used graphic language;

• 30 percent of those texts were sent to an unintended party.

He also discussed the dangers of sending sexually explicit pictures and the ramifications the act can have one one’s life. It can cost a student their reputation, scholarships, jobs – and in extreme cases, their life.

Please talk to your child about this dangerous practice and take a proactive stand when it comes to monitoring your child’s social media pages.