This is a difficult post to share, but children’s access to sex violence via porn is a topic that needs to be addressed.
Easy access to Porn for School Children
Australia suffers from a very real pornography problem. And it is impacting the rate of sexual assault cases. Reportedly, the porn industry has increased its quality and the diversity of porn available. Therefore, it is claimed there have been associations to sexual assault cases. Unfortunately, porn is getting into the hands of children. And they are seeing the fake violence conducted in porn. This desensitises violence and sex leading to abuse and control.
Conditioned From a Young Age
Research shows the average age of exposure to pornography was 11. But that introduction was far beyond boys just “viewing bare breasts” and often involved youth watching rape pornography.
“I believe it is an act of child abuse to expose our children to this. Everywhere I go schools are reeling, they are playing catch-up (to deal with this issue),” Tankard Reist said.
There were some cases where schoolgirls reported sexual problems at school. These came from the boys who would watch pornography. There are reports that students reportedly raped and assaulted, girls from private schools. At such a young age girls must deal with their bodies being violated. And this is not by adults but by their fellow schoolmates. It stems from them having access to porn. They replicate what they see without seeking the consent of the individual. They haven’t developed enough to understand the responsibilities that come with sexual intercourse.
Violence Modelled in Porn
In one 2010 study analyzing 304 porn scenes, 88.2% included physical aggression and 48.7% contained verbal aggression. Additionally, perpetrators of the aggression were usually male. While the targets of the aggression were almost always female. Further, the targets of the violence most often showed pleasure or responded neutrally to the aggression.”
According to an article published in October 2020 The Sydney Morning Herald, declare 40% of young men in Australia do not consider non-consensual sexual activity, otherwise known as sexual assault, to constitute domestic violence. For more information click here
Most of the information children are receiving is from physically aggressive porn scenes, doesn’t reflect real-world intimacy. Pornography has played an impactful role in influencing school children to become unaware that they’re committing sexual assault. This is because rape or physical altercations are common on porn sites. Resulting in the spread of fantasized rape culture, boys become abusers and girls’ victims.
Former Aboriginal research consultant, now Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson in her book “Looking at the Problem” cites several sexual atrocities caused by porn. She warns, “A worker at a Northern Territory women’s shelter describes how women are being raped with a stick after porn videos. These rapes are being perpetrated on drunken women by young boys 10 – 15. And young girls from 8 years upward are being sexually misused. They are being shown hard-core porn videos and encouraged to perform likewise.”
Sex Slavery
These actions are the beginnings of control over women’s and girls’ bodies. It is deceitful, controlling, and abusive. And so, conditioning begins, fear and shame start and this puts the girls and women in a place of vulnerability and control begins. Therefore, often the path to being trapped in sex slavery has begun.
In order to prevent these actions, Australia has to admit that the porn industry is encouraging rape and sexual assault among children. Because of the easy access, they have to it. It can be found anywhere and influences the minds and development of its victims and abusers. The victims must live with the reality that their body was infiltrated. And they often face their abuser daily at such a young age. Like the boys committing the crimes, they grow into the idea of using force and non-consent based on the porn they have access to. So, having early access to porn breeds young victims and abusers.
For more information on issues with domestic violence and modern-day slavery click here to explore our many articles on the topic.
By Natasha Lewis – TFH US Intern