There’s no denying of the fact, early access to adult content is a major concern for any parent. Because we live in a tech-dominated world, it is common for young people to get access to pornography through their phones and other tech devices. Traditionally, sex education was an imperative part of the curriculum, but as people got exposed to pornography, everything changed. The problem with the internet is, it equips everyone with too much information, regardless of the age bracket. For instance, if you search for anything on the web that has a sexual connotation to it, you will be directed to a porn website through any link.
Although, when you search for how to block porn, several apps will help you in blocking pornographic websites from your tech devices. Still, there is a risk that an anonymous link might sift you through inappropriate content. Back in 2005, a study conducted on young people aged between 10-17 concluded that around 42% of them complained about unwanted access to pornographic content. Not to forget, early access to such content can have a severe impact on young minds. Here are a few ways, pornography affects children:
1. Teaches About Sexual Violence
If you have gone through any pornographic website, you must have noticed that the concept of sexual violence and slavery has become mainstream. Pornographic videos with extreme sexual acts receive the highest number of views. Because the media has a strong role to play in the brain development of a modern child, it can destroy the young minds easily. This is the main reason why a lot of young people are often convicted of extreme sexual behaviors. When children are constantly exposed to a lack of consensual relationships between two people, they will quickly pick up acts that direct them towards violence and rape.
An expert claims, young people are more vulnerable to picking up from pornographic content because of the mirror neurons in their brains. Keep in mind, mirror neurons have a strong impact on the learning behaviors of young minds. Secondly, pornography has a strong effect on the brain more than any other form of media.
2. Promotes Misogyny
Misogyny is acknowledged as hatred against women. Several studies on porn have indicated that children can easily learn negative behavior, as shown in the media. Furthermore, as the business of porn continues to get evolved, more violence against women is normalized in such films. As misogyny is a global issue, pornography has a strong role to play, culminating in such thoughts in the minds of children. Back in 2010, a study conducted on pornography concluded that films with the highest rankings had a high level of verbal aggression and physical abuse. Shockingly, more than 70% of verbal aggression and physical violence were carried out by men.
No one can deny the fact that porn has a strong role to play in tarnishing the importance of a woman in society. Misogyny plays out in different forms across the world. Unfortunately, when more young people are engaged in watching porn, they will eventually become what they see. This is the main reason why millennial parents have to go the extra mile in navigating a safe search for their munchkins. Download FamiSafe if you have plans to keep an eye on your kid’s online moves. There are several apps that enable parents to protect their children from such content on the web.
3. Can Lead to Porn Addiction
The excess of anything is bad! Especially when you’re consuming anything that sounds good on the eyes, there is always a chance of getting addicted to it. Children who frequently watch porn films can get addicted to it. If you don’t know about addiction, it is when a person experiences leisure and wants it frequently. Because it is a prerequisite to reward-based learning, addiction can have a strong impact on the mind and behavior. Traditionally, people used to acknowledge it as an uncontrollable urge, but now it is often known as a loss of control.
For instance, people who love to watch porn before going to bed complain about having insomnia if they don’t get this content every day. This habit can easily engage an individual in a hypersexual disorder. As children are young, they can easily develop extreme sexual behaviors, which can lead to addiction. Shockingly, a large percentage of the teen and youth population are seeking mental health professionals because of porn addiction.
4. Affects Healthy Relationships
The foundation of any healthy relationship is love and respect. Unfortunately, none of the porn films promote love and the concept of a romantic beginning. If you search for any porn film, you will come across visuals of unsafe sex, violence, verbal abuse, inappropriate sexual activities, etc. This is the main reason why experts are worried about the mental health of young people. Watching porn is also acknowledged as cheating, which can easily destroy a relationship. When young people see porn films, the concept of what is expected from their partner in sex also changes for them. This can easily transition into big trouble for their partner. Shockingly, many couples divorce every year because of the intrusion of porn in their relationship.
Sexual content that is channeled through television and other popular mediums is usually harmful, stereotypical, unsafe, and distorted. So when a young child is frequently exposed to sexist views, inappropriate sexual activities, and unhealthy behavior, he/she will develop a wrong understanding of a healthy relationship. Not to forget, most porn films are shot with professionals who have no emotional tendency towards each other.
