Study shows high number of children accessing pornography

One in three children has accessed pornography on the Internet by the age of ten, a study has revealed.

The study, which combined polls by YouGov, research in America and an investigation by child behavioural expert Tanya Byron, also says that four in five teenagers regularly look up inappropriate photographs or films on their computers or mobile phones. It shows that the average age of a child first exposed to online pornography is just 11.

The situation is alarming to many parents and campaigners warned that exposure to these images inflicts “serious mental harm” on minors and prevents them from forming healthy adult relationships in later life.

Claire Perry, Conservative MP for Devizes, raised the issue in the House of Commons on 23 November 2010 saying that “British internet service providers should share the responsibility to keep our children safe”.

“As a mother with three children I know how difficult it is to keep children from seeing inappropriate material on the internet,” she said.

“We already successfully regulate British TV channels, cinema screens, High Street hoardings and newsagent shelves to stop children seeing inappropriate images and mobile phone companies are able to restrict access to adult material so why should the internet be any different?

“British internet service providers should share the responsibility to keep our children safe so I am calling for ISPs to offer an 'opt-in' system that uses age verification to access pornographic material.”

“Access to pornography has a profound and negative effect on our children,” Ms Perry added.”

Miranda Suit, director of Safermedia charity, says young people committing horrendous crimes of violent and sexual assault are encouraged by watching violent and pornographic films at home.

“Statistics support the findings. At the Portman Clinic in London, which treats problematic sexual behaviour in all age groups, exposure to internet porn is implicated in 26 per cent of new cases involving young people,” she said.

“But when we look at the material our youngsters are bombarded with, should we be surprised?”

In March 2010, the Witherspoon Institute released a report examining “The Social Costs of Pornography,” signed by more than 50 scholars representing a wide array of professions, academic disciplines, and political views. It detailed the considerable social costs that pornography exacts upon men, women and children.

The report provided evidence that the prevalence of pornography in the lives of many children and adolescents is far more significant than most adults realise, that pornography is deforming the healthy sexual development of minors, and that it is used to exploit children and adolescents.

Sources

Parliament
BBC News
Daily Mail
Daily Mail (Commentary)
Press Association
Network World
National Review (Commentary)