Does YOUR child use the internet to access pornographic images?
No?
You’re sure now?
The reason for asking (and for asking again) is that research has been released in recent days that makes for uncomfortable reading.
The subject is online porn. The findings are troublesome.
You see, thanks to the internet, young people have never found it easier to access inappropriate sexual images and content. The resulting damage must not be underestimated.
One in five 12 to 13-year-olds surveyed admitted having viewed pornographic images that had shocked or upset them. One in 10 expressed concerns about becoming ‘addicted’ to such material.
That porn is no longer restricted to the newsagents’ top shelves is quite clear.
That it has become so pervasive in our children’s lives is something that should concern us all.
The aforementioned research is the basis for the NSPCC ChildLine FAPZ (Fight Against Porn Zombies) Campaign that, we hope, will raise much-needed awareness of certain issues and provide advice and support for those affected.
Left unchecked, this is something that could do untold damage.
It’s something that, as a society, we must address.
‘Children have access to a wide range of pornography,’ said Peter Liver, ChildLine director, upon launching a campaign that we’re pleased to support. ‘If we as a society shy away from talking about this issue, we’re failing the thousands of young people it’s affecting’.
‘Young people are turning to the internet to learn about sex and relationships,’ added Dame Esther Rantzen, the ChildLine founder. ‘We know they’re frequently stumbling across porn and they’re telling us very clearly this is having a damaging and upsetting effect on them’.
That damage and that upset varies from individual to individual . . .
But trust us on this, it’s real and it’s significant and it must be tackled. Never before have such dangers existed on such a scale.
One in 10 12 to 13-year-olds think they’re ‘addicted’ to online porn. Just think about that.
One in five think watching online porn is normal, a part of everyday life.
12% have taken part in or made a sexually-explicit video.
There are 18,000 visits EVERY MONTH made to the NSPCC and ChildLine’s online discussion boards from children and young people with concerns about exposure to porn.
That our children are using the internet in an attempt to learn about love, sex and relationships is a major worry. Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, seeing certain behaviours as normal, having certain attitudes and expectations, this is growing problem that mustn’t be ignored.
Think about YOUR children. Think about THEIR developing minds and bodies.
Think about computers, think about the internet. Think screens in bedrooms, think cameras on phones. Think online porn. Think Snapchat and all the other apps. Think social media. Think addiction. Think damage. Think solutions.
Does YOUR child use the internet to access pornographic images?
Think again.
* Do YOU have concerns about the issues discussed here? For further details, resources and support, visit the NSPCC online here. Like to talk to our team about problems and concerns as a result of reading our blog? Please use our online contact form or feel free to give us a call.
