Several girls in therapy after sharing nude pictures

Young girls in their teens on Karl Johans gate in OsloYoung girls in their teens on Karl Johans gate in Oslo.Photo: Thomas Brun / NTB scanpix

An increasing number of young girls go to therapy after sharing nude pictures of themselves. “Many regret terribly,” says a psychologist.

 

Psychologist Ingrid Blessom tells NRK that girls at the age of 14 are in therapy with her.

“There are many who struggle afterwards. They feel that there are things, that is extremely private to which others have access. Some people get almost the same reactions as someone has been subjected to abuse”, she says.

Blessom is a psychologist at the Department of Clinical Sexology and Therapy in Oslo. She says several of the girls who come to her, admit to have had started with this at the age of 11 and that many of them struggle with anxiety and depression.

“We do not know if this is a phenomenon that is going to broke. We do not know if there are many girls who are going to come to therapy later. It’s a brand new phenomenon. I’m afraid this is just the top of the iceberg, “she continues.

According to the Media Authority’s report on Children and Media from 2016, 9 percent of children aged 13 to 16 had sent nudes by themselves, compared with 4 percent in 2010. Adviser Kaja Hegg in Redd Barna says there is insufficient knowledge about the subject.

“It may be that we attributed to a greater danger, than it really is. But the biggest concern is that it can lead to bullying, and it can of course be used as a threat.”

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today