By Alex Aiello
A lot of us have grown up with the booming presence of technology as an essential part of our social lives. Face-timing has replaced in-person meet ups, texting has taken over actual conversations, and the getting-to-know you stage of relationships has been ruined by the easy access and casualness of social media.
I have learned in multiple situations throughout my life that people use their screens as an excuse to do things they wouldn’t normally do in person. Serious, honest conversations no longer happen face-to-face because we only have the courage to say what we don’t actually have to say out loud. However, there is one particular instance when the added confidence of a screen is not okay.
When a casual conversation with a boy I met during orientation became one in which I randomly opened a picture of his body I didn’t want to see, I became completely unsettled.
In what world did it become acceptable to send pictures of this nature without permission? Would he pull down his pants if we were in person? I don’t think so. What then, would make him think it was okay to do the same thing virtually?
Blaming this type of behavior on an accidental swipe of the thumb is no excuse. Just like how you might be cautious with which girl you kiss at a party (your girlfriend of one year or the girl you sit with in calculus), you should take the same precaution when doing something of this nature virtually. No matter the circumstances or how subtle you think you are being, consent is ALWAYS needed in sexual situations. Whether in person or over Snapchat, sexual harassment is inexcusable.
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