Sexting laws may affect the majority of college students

Many people have heard about "sexting," or sending sexually explicit text messages or images to another person. While this may seem like a harmless way for people to interact with their partners, new laws in some states call for penalties for underage sexters or others who forward photos of minors.

A group of University of Rhode Island researchers surveyed a group of college students to determine how common sexting is within this age group. They noted that undergraduates sometimes begin freshman year at the age of 17, at which time they would be considered minors.

The investigators explained that new state laws penalize minors who create or send sexually explicit images of themselves with a so-called status offense and require them to attend family court. Additionally, anyone who is found to have or who forwards these types of photos will be charged according to the state's child pornography laws.

The study's results showed that close to 80 percent of respondents received sexually suggestive text messages, and 56 percent were sent suggestive images on their cellphones.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 74 percent of sexually active females between the ages of 15 and 19 have partners who are the same age or up to three years older than they are.