On Point with Tom Ashbrook
Cyberbullying And Sexual Shaming January 28, 2013
When cyberbullying turns into sexual shaming, with one teen who decided to tell her peers it's got to stop.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," the sexually-shamed woman wore her shame with a capital A. But that three hundred and fifty years ago. The new scarlet letter is harder to shake.
Digital images, sexual images, taken surreptitiously or otherwise, and posted and shared online. It's potent tool of teenage bullying, in particular. Digital, online, sexual shaming.
A teenage New York high school reporter has brought it vividly, disturbingly, to the public eye. She's with us.
This hour, On Point: teenage cyberbullying and the new scarlet letter - sexual shaming online.
-Tom Ashbrook
Guests
Temitayo Fagbenle, member of Radio Rookies, a New York Public Radio initiative that helps teens produce radio stories. Her radio report, "Sexual Cyberbullying, The Modern Day Letter A" came out earlier this month.
Danielle Citron, professor of law at the University of Maryland focusing on information privacy and civil rights. Author of the upcoming book, "Hate 3.0: The Rise of Online Harassment and How to Stop It." (@daniellecitron)
Sexual images captured surreptitiosly are evidence of a crime, and it's both possible and proper that they be destroyed and that those who have them be punished.
Sexual images captured "otherwise" are proof that children do stupid things. Sometimes, the stupid things children do make them the subject of ridicule. In this matter, I support abstinence.
Bill Horne Moderator