​

​

​

​

​

  

​

There is controversy over the government’s plans to scrap pornography sites.

​

 

The NSPCC is urging the government not to drag its feet over plans to make people prove their age when using pornography sites.

 

This comes just weeks after plans to introduce a nationwide age verification system for online pornography have been abandoned by the government after years of technology concerns from privacy campaigners.

 

Children as young as 8 are now accessing porn online, most of the time accidentally. A report by Psychology Science says for many of these children porn forms the basis of their sex education.  

 

Our exclusive investigation can reveal one 8-year-old boy who had access to pornography online went on to sexually touch his younger brother. 

 

This incident came to the family’s attention when the younger brother started to refuse to get changed in front of others. The younger brother finally told ‘Mummy’ what had happened.

 

A family member who wishes to remain anonymous said, “The 8-year-old had admitted he’d seen things on the internet, and he had watched inappropriate TV programmes. He has too much knowledge of sexual behaviour, which he then acted upon not realising how wrong this was.” 

 

The family member continued “This has caused bad feelings within the family circle because there is a difference of opinion and how this should be dealt with.”

 

A report written by Psychological Science says, “Pornography from a young age may increase the risk of a child becoming a victim or sexual violence or acting out sexually against another child.”

 

The same report says “There is reason to believe that early exposure to sexual content may have the following undesirable effects: Earlier and more casual sex, high risk sex with drugs and alcohol, and children would be more likely to be exposed to sexual violence and have their youth values impacted.”

 

A Guardian survey can uncover:

• 66% of respondents have accessed pornographic material under the age of 18.

• Up to 40% of these respondents accessed the material under the age of 16.

• 10% were under the age of 13. 

 

​

The Children’s Charity NSPCC highlights “48% of young people had viewed online pornography, with the majority first viewing online pornography at home ‘accidentally’ (i.e. it just popped up). Of those young people who had seen pornography, 90% stated that online pornography was their first exposure to pornography.”

 

In 2018/19 the NSPCC conducted 876 counselling sessions to children about online pornography. Children as young as 12 are seeking help from the NSPCC. 

 

The children’s charity told The Guardian “The NSPCC has been campaigning for years for laws to protect children from accessing pornography online, because we know that viewing this explicit material can harm their perception of sex, body image and healthy relationships.”

 

The Guardian’s survey revealed that 78% of respondents agree that pornography should be age restricted.

 

Although the age verification policy was first proposed by the Conservatives during the 2015 general election, it took years to develop and make it into law. 

 

Its implementation date was repeatedly delayed amid difficulties with the execution of the policy, until it was scrapped completely last month. 

 

The planned methods to check peoples ages online would have included checking credit cards or allowing people to buy a “porn pass” age verification document from a newsagent.

 

The NSPCC said: “This delay is disappointing, but it is also imperative that the vehicle used to achieve protection for children from pornography is robust and effective. The Government cannot drag its feet on this.”

 

According to new research by security technology company Bitdefender, Some of these problems start from them accessing pornography.

 

​

                                                                 Children’s charities are helping more children with problems such as pornography        

                                                                 addictions, sexual assaults and grooming. Some of these problems start from them           

                                                                 accessing pornography. 

             

 

​

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan told The Guardian, “I'm extremely concerned by the Government's decision to drop its plan to introduce robust age verification measures on pornography sites. We urgently need this change to help keep children safe from harmful content online.

 

Children tell us unwanted exposure to explicit and violent pornography is their main concern when it comes to the online world.  At Barnardo’s we also support children who have been groomed online within just 10 minutes of starting a conversation. In many cases they go on to be sexually abused offline as well.”

 

After having access to pornography from the age of 9, Bethany Macdonald was another child that had access to indecent imagery. As she grew older Bethany developed an unhealthy addiction to the pornography causing her to skip lectures and seminars to watch porn at home. 

 

Bethany told us: “Pornography doesn’t line up with my values for myself, for sexuality and what I knew of the corrupt industry and yet I felt unable to resist it. 

 

I prefer not to use the term addicted but I became dependent upon it to function normally. I struggled to get free from the repetitive behaviour even though I tried.

 

Having this dependency made me very insular, I kept secrets from a young age. I was unable to pursue romantic relationships and I believed I was disgusting, dirty and would never find a partner. I thought the desire to look at pornography meant that there was something wrong with me.”

 

Now recovered she is now working for The Naked Truth Project an initiative of a Christian charity called Visible. This project raises awareness to the problems of pornography and offers support to those who are in need.

​

​

Bethany explains, “Often people start out innocently curious and then before they

know it, their use starts to increase and then they find that they struggle to make real-life

romantic/ sexual encounters because they have been stimulated through something fake.”

 

 

Research through the Naked Truth project shows that girls as young as 9 are seeking genital surgery because they are distressed by its appearance. 

 

In 2015 more than 200 girls had labiaplasty on the NHS, more than 150 of them were under 15. 

 

Papuita De Zuleta a GP told The Naked Truth that she “blames the unrealistic images girls are being exposed to through pornography and social media. The reality is, vaginas come in all shapes and sizes and labiaplasty should only be given to girls who are experiencing medical issues. To hear a girl speaking about any part of her body using comments such as “I just hate it, I just want it removed” is heart-breaking”

 

Evidence also suggests access to pornography from such a young age is giving girls and boys unrealistic standards on how they should look. Pornography is shaping the mindset and expectations of a generation.

 

The Guardian survey shows that 72% of responds agree that pornography could be addictive. 

 

The Addiction Helper explains access to porn can cause changes in the brain of the viewer it also creates a distorted view of what a normal sexual relationship is like, particularly for young people who are just beginning to explore the idea of sex. 

 

Nuno Albuquerque, Group Treatment Lead at addiction treatment firm UK addiction centres comments: "Excessive engagement with pornography is a symptom of sex addiction and can lead to the person engaging in other activities such as sex with prostitutes or strangers, sadistic or masochistic behaviour, exhibitionism or voyeurism.” 

 

“Exposure to pornography before the age of 18 won't affect everyone in this way, but it will for some, and as a society we should be doing everything we can to prevent our younger generation developing addictive tendencies. Administrative errors when it comes to age restrictions on pornography sites is not a good enough excuse"

 

In some cases, those that watch pornography have become uninterested in their partner because their partner is no longer good enough for them.

 

Whilst these problems start when they are children, most people do not receive help until they are later in life. Young people only realise they have a problem and begin to seek help once they’re at university or in relationships, by which stage their obsession with porn has started to affect their daily life.

 

Terry Crews an actor known for his role in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs admitted in a Facebook video diary that he had an addiction to pornography. He had been accessing Pornographic content since he was young. In these videos he explained how pornography changed how he viewed people around him. 

 

“The thing with pornography is that it changes how you see people. People become objects. People become body parts. People become things to be used. Instead of being things you love and care for. You change how you see people you use people you think you’re the man and they are whatever.” 

 

Paula Hall, author of Sex Addiction: A guide for couples and those who help explained to the Guardian “No addiction can exist without opportunity and regrettably the key reason that pornography addiction has grown so rapidly is the easy opportunity that the internet provides. 

 

 For those addicted to pornography, finding ways to limit access is an essential component of relapse prevention, such as installing porn blockers, or getting rid of smart devices all together. 

 

The government's proposed age verification system would have been a significant benefit, not only to those under 18 who are already addicted, but also to those who are vulnerable to developing an addiction in the first place”

 

If you or your child has sexual related problem or problems regarding pornography, the best way to get help is to:

 

• Parents talk to your children.

• Youth workers listen to your youth groups.

• Teachers educate your pupils.

• Leaders empower your churches and communities.

• Counselling contact your local addiction counselling sites.

Conversation and education are the main weapons in this battle against pornography. 

​

​

​