1/3 Of 10 Year Olds Access Internet Porn!
July 15, 2015
The
accelerated growth of the internet within the last decade has made it easier now
more than ever for children and adults to access free pornographic images and
videos, and to get addicted to viewing such materials. Mary Anne Layden,
director of Sexual Trauma and Psychopathic Program Center for Cognitive Therapy,
told a room full of congressional staffers gathered by the National Center on
Sexual Exploitation that internet pornography is becoming America’s newest
addiction crisis.
In a society where parents are uncomfortable teaching their children about
sex and where school systems don’t educate their students on all aspects of sex,
Layden said that children are seemingly turning to internet porn to get the
answers to their sexual curiosity. But in viewing porn sites, Layden claims that
children are being taught that sex is all about lust and violence against women,
not intimacy.
Ernie Allen, former president and CEO of the International Center for Missing
& Exploited Children, gave staffers perspective on how many children view
pornographic materials. He stated that research consensus has found that the
average age of first porn exposure is 12 years old. Allen also stated that
“fully” a third of 10-year-olds and 53 percent of 12 to 15-year-olds access
pornographic content.
“What
information is it feeding them?” Layden asked. “It is telling them this: There
is no such thing as too much sex and there is no sexual behavior that is
harmful, toxic or traumatizing, and that sex is not about intimacy, caring, love
or respect.“
Layden added that internet porn is teaching children that it is alright to
have sex with complete strangers, an attitude which she says is manifested by
the rise of sexual immorality seen on college campuses.
“[It is teaching them that] sex is not about marriage or having children. Sex
is casual, recreational, adversarial and it is non-intimate,” Layden argued. “In
fact, you don’t even need to know your partner because sex with strangers is the
best and most intense time for sex, and you can see the consequences of that in
hookup culture on our college campuses.”
“Of course, all these things are not true. That’s because internet
pornography is actually giving them sexual junk food,” Layden continued. “No
wonder that the psychologists are calling pornography the new crack cocaine.“
As society’s acceptance of pornographic media continues to grow, Layden
argues that children who watch porn are taught that the things they see in porn
videos — like rape, bondage, abuse of women, adultery, and other heinous acts —
are socially acceptable actions and normal sexual standards.
Related Links:
* Kids start watching online porn as young as 6!
*
More young Aussies watch porn, boys’ first exposure at about 13yo – study
* Pornography and the Decline of a Culture
* Planned Parenthood praises sexual pleasure for kids
* Social media: Sexualizing young teens and destroying their social skills