Your child may discover online porn unintentionally, or they may go looking for it.
For young children, accidentally encountering pornographic material can be confusing or distressing. At worst it can be harmful.
Older children and teenagers may be more curious and actively seek out pornography online. For them, the risk is that exposure to graphic, violent or misleading messages about sexual practices and gender stereotypes could give them the wrong idea about sex and intimate relationships.
How much of a problem is it?
Research indicates that children and young people are accessing pornography at increasing rates, with boys aged 14-17 years being the most frequent underage consumers of pornographic material.
This issue comes at a time when a growing number of parents, children, teachers, psychologists and other professionals working with children and young people voice concerns about the ease of access to pornography online, and the proliferation of increasingly violent pornographic content.
While pornography is not a new phenomenon, the volume available and the way people are accessing it has changed.
For example, improvements to Internet downloading speeds and the use of handheld “smart” devices have made accessing pornography easier, faster and more anonymous than ever before. The ease of access to pornography online also contributes to the greater likelihood of children’s accidental exposure.
What are the effects?
Research suggests that the effects of frequent and routine viewing of pornography and other sexualised images may:
- reinforce harmful gender stereotypes
- contribute to young people forming unhealthy and sexist views of women and sex
- contribute to condoning violence against women
- contribute to increasing the sexually coercive behaviour exhibited by young men and even young women
- normalise sexual violence and contribute to unrealistic understandings of sex and sexuality
- lead to young people feeling as though they should engage in the sexual behaviour frequently displayed in pornography, including violent acts
There is some excellent information below on this subject.
The highlight is the section "How can I protect my child" which suggests:
- Set some ‘house rules’
- Stay engaged
- Use the available technology - this is where we step in.
Our solutions package goes a LONG way to solving this issue - click the image in this section for more information.
In addition, for parents, nothing beats talking to someone about it - and the best place to do that is at one of our Information Nights.
Not only will you be fully informed about the latest issues and risks, we will provide the solutions to this issue.
Talk to your school or your Parents and Friends Committee and ask them to give us a call.
