Sexting in schools: Rotorua teens spread homemade sex movie

Rotorua teenagers are recording sexually explicit images and home-made sex videos of each other on their cellphones and sending them to other students.
Some schools are banning cellphones in changing rooms because of the growing practice of "sexting".
The Daily Post understands there have been at least two separate incidents - the latest just a couple of months ago - involving videos of Rotorua students having sex at parties being sent to other students.
The videos were filmed by students watching the sexual encounters.
Secondary School Principals' Association president and John Paul College principal, Patrick Walsh, said "sexting" was an emerging problem in New Zealand.
He was aware of three schools which now removed cellphones from students before physical education classes because of sexting.
He was aware of one Rotorua sexting case where a student sent a sexual image to students at another school, he said.
The incident didn't happen at his school but he wouldn't name the school involved or whether the photograph was taken in a changing room.
He said sexting was hugely damaging and humiliating for the person whose image was circulated.
He said boyfriends or girlfriends could use the image as a weapon against a former partner.
"Images can be spread rapidly through the community and can go global."
The Daily Post understands a home-made sex video involving two Rotorua teenagers was shared via cellphones by students at two or more different schools.
A student who spoke to The Daily Post about the incident said it happened late last year.
It followed another sex video involving Rotorua teenagers filmed with cellphone at a party in Koutu about two years ago.
The teenager said the video was uploaded to YouTube but was quickly removed.
Mr Walsh said at his school students had to keep their cellphones turned off and in their bags all day.
He didn't plan to take cellphones from students before physical education classes, although that could change if sexting became an issue at his school, he said.
One of his biggest concerns was parents being oblivious to what their children were doing.
Rotorua Girls' High School principal Annette Joyce said banning cellphones at school wasn't the answer but education about the appropriate use of them was.
She said her school didn't ban cellphones in changing rooms as she didn't know how that could be policed.
Mrs Joyce said students were not allowed to use their cellphones during class and hundreds were dealt with each year for either having their cellphone out or using it when not allowed.
Measures for dealing with cellphone use at the school ranged from parents coming in to collect their daughter's phone to students being banned from having a cellphone at school for a term or a year. She had not heard of any students sending sexually explicit messages, she said.
There was an incident last year when some students took photographs on their cellphones of a fight outside the school grounds.
The pictures were circulated among other students. Those involved were spoken to about the inappropriateness of using their cellphones to record such an incident.
Mrs Joyce said banning cellphones completely would be impossible as students would not obey the rule.
"Cellphones, like it or not, are a part of everyday life."
A senior lecturer in psychology at Otago University, Tamar Murachver, said sexting was a form of cyber bullying and its effects could be worse than if someone was being physically bullied.
The effects could include low self-esteem, depression and suicide, Dr Murachver said.
Senior Sergeant Brent Crowe of the Rotorua police said depending on the type of image and the circumstances there were a variety of criminal charges police could lay.
On its website, Netsafe, it urges that if someone is being threatened with cyber bullying they should save the evidence and contact police.