Dear Pressured to Sext,

Let’s be clear, you’re not a prude if you say no. And you’re not alone. You may think all your peers are sexting, but did you know that only 15%1 of adolescents have ever sent a nude? This number has been steadily going down! Standing up to someone else’s demands on the other side of the screen shows you value and respect yourself. You are not just a body. You are a whole and complete person with unique talents and gifts. You have a sense of humor and a personality. A sexually explicit image of yourself treats your body like a disposable object and often women who send nudes regret it.

Dear Randomly Beautiful,

This is a red flag, and you should not respond. Just delete his message and block him. It’s scary, but this could be an online predator trying to meet up with you to kidnap, assault, or sell you into trafficking. Predators convince young girls and even guys that their beauty will land them a modeling job, only to find themselves victims of prostitution, pornography, and slave labor. If he continues to contact you, tell your parents or a teacher. If he sends you a sexually explicit image, report him to the authorities.

Dear Really Want a Boyfriend,

I understand where you’re coming from. It’s natural to want to be chosen—you are not alone. But it’s also not really the case that everyone has a boyfriend! As you wait, I have a couple of ideas. Concentrate on developing into the kind of woman you want to be. Spend time on the things you enjoy. Develop solid friendships. This is the best thing you can do at this time. Friendships are important to have at every stage of life! It can be easy to find a boyfriend and become infatuated to the point where your identity is wrapped up with them, causing breakups to leave you feeling like you’ve lost yourself.