According to recent reports, around 95.9% of people use smartphones for such sexting and millennials lead at 37% participation rates.
Females engage at 52.6% compared to males at 42.1%, while 37% of youth who sext experience image abuse.
This analysis covers global sexting rates, demographic patterns, legal frameworks, relationship dynamics, and safety risks associated with modern intimate communication behaviors.
Sexting Statistics: Top Picks
- As of now, approximately 88% of American adults have sexted at least once.
- Millennials lead in sexting participation at 37% among all generations.
- Around 37% of youth sexters experience image abuse incidents.
- Committed partners sext 74% compared to the 43% with casual partners.
- There is a 13.2 times higher risk for image abuse among sexters.
- More females participate in sexting, accounting for 74% versus 42.1% of males.
How Common Is Sexting? (Global Data)
According to the reports, it is estimated that 88% of American adults have sexted at least once in their lives. The University of New Hampshire research says 23% of youth aged 18-28 engaged in sexting before age 18.
- According to a study, 12.1% of U.S. adults have been involved in sexting beyond being in a relationship. (Source: Whats The Big Data)
- Sexting statistics reveal 19.3% of youth send sexts globally. 14.5% forward without consent. Sext numbers also indicate that 34.8% receive explicit messages. (Source: Journal of Adolescent Health)
- 23% of young adults aged 18-28 had sexted before turning 18. Generally, they are more familiar with sexting apps.
- 1 out of 5 teenagers has engaged in sexting. (Source: University of New Hampshire 1, University of New Hampshire
- As per recent surveys, 29% are engaged in sexy talk with partners via mobile devices. (Source: PMC)
What Is The Rate Of Sexting?
- Sexting frequency estimates range between 10% and 40% of the population, with clustering around 12% to 25%. (Source: PMC)
- 12% of married couples report sending nude or semi-nude photos to partners (Source: PMC)
- 13% of students aged 12-17 reported sending sexually explicit messages to others.
- 18.5% of middle and high school students have received explicit messages. (Source: PubMed)
- Most people started sexting between the ages of 16 and 17 years old. (Source: PMC NCBI)
Sexting By Demographics
Research shows significant demographic variations in sexting behavior across populations.
Females receive sexts at higher rates than males in recent studies, with 78% of young people reporting nothing bad happened after sharing nude photos (Source: Internet Matters).
Let’s examine sexting patterns by country, generation, age, gender, region, and state demographics.
Sexting Statistics By Countries
Australian research found 47% of young people surveyed engaged in sending or receiving sexual images (Source: Australian Institute of Criminology).
European data shows 27.4% of teens receive sexts overall (Source: PMC).
Here is a comparative international sexting prevalence by country:
| Country | Percentage of People Sexting |
|---|---|
| United States | 55.0% (sending), 40.9% (receiving) |
| Spain | 35.8% (sending), 57.6% (receiving) |
| Australia | 47% (sending/receiving combined) |
| Italy | 47.4% (sending own sexts) |
| Belgium | 47.8% (sending own sexts) |
| Czech Republic | 45.9% (sending own sexts) |
| Russia | 45.7% (sending own sexts) |
| Poland | 40.6% (sending own sexts) |
| Turkey | 30.6% (sending own sexts) |
| Ireland | 28.4% (sending own sexts) |
| Uganda | 16.9% (sending own sexts) |
| China | 14.3% (sending own sexts) |
Source: PMC – Cross-Cultural Study, Australian Institute of Criminology
Sexting By Generation
Millennials lead with 37% engaging in sexting among all generations.
Distribution shows a massive increase from 2.7% in 2000 to 76.9% in 2023, sending sexts (Source: What’s The Big Data).
Generational differences highlight technology adoption patterns across age groups:
| Generation | Sexting Rate |
|---|---|
| Millennials | 37% |
| Baby Boomers | 5% |
The overall growth increased from 2.7% in 2000 to 76.9% in 2023. People usually search, copy, and paste hot texts for effective attraction.
Sexting By Age
The data reveal critical patterns in both sending and receiving behaviors across developmental stages, with receiving rates consistently higher than sending rates across all age groups:
| Age Group | Sending Rate | Receiving Rate | Total Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13-15 years | 38% | 62% | 448 (sending), 445 (receiving) |
| 16-18 years | 50% | 70% | 686 (sending), 683 (receiving) |
| Adult (19+) | 59% | 68% | 435 (sending), 434 (receiving) |
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
The progression from 38% sending rates among younger teens to 59% among adults shows that older people are more likely to send sexual images as they become more comfortable with technology and mature sexually.
However, around 73% of parents believe that sexting is harmful to young people.
Sexting By Gender
Females experience substantially higher image abuse rates at 13.6% versus males at 4.03%. (Source: University of New Hampshire)
Gender-based participation reveals significant behavioral differences:
| Gender | Sending/Participation Rate | Receiving Rate | Image Abuse Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 52.6% | 64% | 13.6% |
| Male | 42.1% | 72% | 4.03% |
(Source: PMC)
Sexting By State
As per the survey, state-level data reveal that 27 states have sexting laws addressing minors sending/receiving explicit images. (Source: CyberBullying)
State legislation varies significantly in addressing teenage sexting behaviors across America:
| States With Specific Sexting Laws | States Without Specific Sexting Laws |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Alabama |
| Arkansas | Alaska |
| Colorado | California |
| Connecticut | Delaware |
| Florida | Idaho |
| Georgia | Illinois |
| Hawaii | Iowa |
| Indiana | Kansas |
| Louisiana | Kentucky |
| Nebraska | Maine |
| Nevada | Maryland |
| New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| New Mexico | Michigan |
| New York | Minnesota |
| North Dakota | Mississippi |
| Oklahoma | Missouri |
| Pennsylvania | Montana |
| Rhode Island | New Hampshire |
| South Dakota | North Carolina |
| Tennessee | Ohio |
| Texas | Oregon |
| Utah | South Carolina |
| Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | Wisconsin |
| West Virginia | Wyoming |
| Washington DC | |
| Federal |
Key findings about state sexting laws:
- 24 states address both minors sending and receiving sexually explicit content.
- 18 states allow potential misdemeanor punishment for teen sexting offenses.
- 7 states permit felony charges for certain teen sexting violations.
- Thirteen states include diversion options outside the criminal and juvenile justice system.
- All states have some variation of laws that prohibit sending explicit material to minors.
- Child pornography laws carry 70-100 months mandatory minimum sentences in Oregon.
- Wisconsin has a paradox where the age of consent is 16, but federal law prohibits sexting.
How Common Is Sexting In Relationships?
74% of adults sext with partners in committed relationships, while 43% engage with casual partners. (Source: Los Angeles Times)
Sexting occurs in 39% of American adult relationships to strengthen intimacy and connection. (Source: What’s The Big Data)
Additionally, OnlyFans is one of the inspirations, as it allows easy things to sell as content and earn an income, where both married and single people can participate as creators.
Is Sexting Normal Among Married People?
- 29% of married heterosexual couples engage in sexual conversations via text messages.
- 12% of married couples have sent nude or semi-nude photos to their spouses.
- 19% of husbands and 16% of wives send sexually explicit messages weekly or more frequently.
- 5% of husbands and 3% of wives send nude images monthly or more often.
- Sexting prevalence is much lower among married couples compared to young adult relationships.
Source: (Source: PMC) - 69% of teen sexters send images primarily to boyfriends or girlfriends in relationships. (Covenant Eyes)
How Many Single People Sext?
- 26% of people who are reported as single have engaged in sexting behavior. (Source: American Psychological Association)
- 43% of adults report sexting within casual relationship contexts.
- Single people who sext report higher sexual satisfaction levels than their non-sexting counterparts. (Source: Los Angeles Times)
- 30% of teen sexters send images to someone they want to date.
- 21% of teen sexters send messages to someone they had a crush on (Source: Covenant Eyes)
Sexting Laws Applicable Across The United States Of America
27 states have specific sexting laws addressing minors sending/receiving, while 23 states lack dedicated teen sexting legislation.
On the other side, 24 states address both sending and receiving sexually explicit content, with 18 states allowing misdemeanor punishments for violations.
- Facts about sexting laws show that 7 states permit felony charges for certain teen violations.
- 13 states include diversion options outside the criminal justice system for teen offenders.
- Oregon imposes 70-100 months of mandatory minimum sentences under child pornography laws.
- Wisconsin creates a legal paradox where the age of consent is 16, but federal sexting laws prohibit such activity.
- Sexting remains a normal legal issue, as 13 states prescribe counseling instead of prosecution.
- Sext people face varying consequences as all states prohibit sending explicit material to minors.
- People to sext must understand that 14% of middle and high school students send explicit images illegally.
- Sexting leaks become criminal when 23% of students receive similar illegal images from others.
- Sext nude images carry federal legal implications even when state consent ages differ significantly.
(Source: Cyberbullying Research Center1)
Sexting Facts: Safe Or Risky?
- Around 37% of youth who sexted experienced image abuse compared to only 2.8% who didn’t sext.
- Sexting creates a 13.2 times higher risk for image abuse among participating youth.
- Female sexters face particularly high victimization rates at 13.6% versus males at 4.03%.
- Even occasional sexting carries significant risk, with 35% experiencing image abuse incidents.
- Frequent sexters show 55.7% abuse rates compared to 35.2% for occasional participants.
(Source: University of New Hampshire)
Related Reads:
Conclusion: Around 88% Of People Are Involved In Sexting
Based on all the research, it shows that sexting is now a common practice among adults and teens worldwide.
However, laws vary across states, but the trend continues to grow. People should know both the popularity and risks before participating in sexting activities for safer choices.
FAQs
Sexting is most common among young adults in Mexico, Colombia, and Spain, where men tend to exhibit more favorable attitudes than women.
Most people start sexting between the ages of 16 and 17, with 50% of teens aged 16-18 participating compared to 38% of younger adolescents.
Sexting itself is not illegal, but it can be considered cheating in relationships and may have legal implications in divorce proceedings.
