I often come across parents who refuse to even think about the possibility of their child watching pornography, but it often happens. Since pornography has become very easily accessible to kids at home, school, library through the internet, it is important for us to understand the different ways porn is harming our kids. We have seldom seen, whatever is easily available, the kids will feel it is OK. Everyone has it, everyone sees it hence they assume it to be a ‘normal’ thing to do. If the parents are also watching it the child is surely to give it a nod. “If mom & dad are watching it, it must be good.”

What is porn?

Definition: Printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate sexual excitement.

Today, children are being sexualized very early in life. Kids are curious by nature at this age. They have a thirst of learning anything that seems interesting to them and we humans are born with sexual energy. At the ripe age of puberty when their hormones are raging within them, these kids are exposed to sexual material and messages in movies, television, music videos, advertisements and other media much earlier than they can handle. With easy access to the Internet and inappropriate movies, these curious kids may accidentally or intentionally be exposed to material that is uncensored, sexually explicit, often inaccurate and potentially harmful.

Sometimes kids younger than the puberty age also accidentally or intentionally watch porn. Many parents say, “So what? Kids don’t understand it, how can they be affected by it?” Even if young children can’t understand sex or its role in relationships, the images they see can leave a lasting impression. It’s a basic tactic of marketing that what we watch, read and listen to influences our behavior. And, as we all know, sex sells. That’s why we see these advertisements of products that have nothing to do with sex being marketed in a much sexualized ways.

As a sexuality educator, I don’t see any reason for existence of porn. I don’t care if it is banned or not. But if it stays, a strong Sex Education program for kids and adults should be in place across the country. One needs to know that porn sex is not real sex. 

Parents ultimately want their children to understand the responsibility towards sex and sexuality. Let’s understand how porn harms children.

1. Early Sex: Kids who are exposed to porn without understanding what it is, tend to engage in those behaviour themselves. 
2. Children imitate: Children often imitate what they have seen, read or heard. The exposure to porn can make kids act out sexually against younger, and more vulnerable children.
3. Movies influence: A 2012 study shows that movies influence children’s sexual attitudes and behaviors as well.
4. Kids are learning that Sex without responsibility is acceptable and desirable. One can behave the way he wants.
5. Young men who are exposed to porn at an early age, are more likely to objectify a woman and young women are more likely to tolerate sexual harassment from men.
6. Continuously watching porn of a kind can get boring, hence these young children want more deviant and violent material to satisfy their ever growing hunger to satisfy their ever raging hormones. 

Exposure to pornography interferes with a child’s development and identity. Most of the parents are reluctant to understand the topic, thanks to it’s status as a taboo.

The goal isn’t to avoid the topic, but to approach it head-on so that your children learn about sex and relationships from their most trusted source: YOU!