Cumbria Police are warning mobile phone users about the dangers of ‘sexting’.

The warning is part of the force’s awareness campaign on sexual abuse and violence.

Senior officers are today highlighting ‘sexting’, where sexually explicit content is shared through mobile phone apps. However, while the force is aware that not all images or videos shared leads to vulnerabilities, there are a number of potential risks involved in the practice.

Police say one them is control, that once an image is shared the sender no longer has control about where it is distributed, especially on social media.

Officers also say having person content shared can leave people feeling vulnerable or embarrassed and leave them open to 'sextortion', whereby criminals attempt to get money by threatening to upload an image to the internet.

There may also be legal consequences, officers warn, as explicit content, even when sent between those under the age of 18, may constitute child abuse images, and the taker of the image, the recipient of the image, and anyone who shares the content may be charged and found guilty of offences.

Detective Superintendent Vicki Ellis, head of public protection at Cumbria Police, said: “The ‘selfie’ and ‘sexting’ culture is increasingly becoming a problem – young people and vulnerable adults now have easier access to the internet, through various devices, than ever before.

“I would like to remind anyone considering sending such content that once you have sent an image, you have forever lost control of it, and it could be used to bully, harass, or even locate you. My advice is if you would not willingly show your parents, the photo then do not send it.

“One of the main problems is that parents are often unaware of what apps and social networking sites their children are using. Technology moves quickly, we all need to stay up to date with what our loved ones are accessing and sharing.”

* Anyone worried they or someone they know may be a victim of sexual abuse contact Cumbria Police on 101.

Alternatively if you have a concern about a child please contact the Cumbria Safeguarding Hub on 0333 240 1727.

If you are a young person and are upset or worried by an image you have sent or received, you can call ChildLine and talk to someone in confidence on 0800 1111.