We are in the midst of a seismic social experiment. Never before have kids been immersed in a social media world (Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, apps, gaming and various other platforms), where they are bombarded daily with hypersexualised pop culture images, ads, adult themed video games, and free downloadable hardcore porn.
As access to technology widens, young people are constantly internalising messages which can affect their behaviour, expectations, brain and emotional development, confusing their understanding of healthy relationships. With technology at our fingertips, the doorway for exploitive messages swings wide to our young people.
Finding quality presenters and effective tools to counteract these messages can be time consuming and overwhelming. Youth Wellbeing Project presenters, along with the IQ PROGRAMS, overcome these challenges with excellence and provide refreshing assurance to parents and professionals.
Some argue porn is human nature. If that were true, it would produce calm instead of havoc. Equality instead of degradation. Connection instead of disconnection. – Liz Walker
Pornography is accessible, affordable, anonymous and addictive. A growing number of neuroscience studies show how an overactive reward system can result in addiction.
“Porn is now the most prominent form of sexuality education for many young people; it is shaping young people’s sexual understandings and expectations in ways unprecedented.” – Maree Crabbe
Research suggests that adolescents who use Internet porn have lower degrees of social integration, increases in conduct problems, higher levels of delinquent behaviour, higher incidence of depressive symptoms, and decreased emotional bonding with caregivers.
As the porn industry continues to grow, clinicians report that an increasing number of individuals are seeking out help to deal with sexual and relational difficulties associated with pornography use.
Pornography is linked to increases in negative attitude to women, decreases in empathy for victims of sexual violence, and increases in dominating and sexually-imposing behaviour.
“The increasing sexualisation of children and their exposure to inappropriate sexual content is of significant concern and is closely linked to the occurrence of Problem Sexualised Behaviours.” – Sexual Assault Support Service
A study on the consequences of exposure to Internet pornography for early adolescent boys’ academic performance indicates that increased use of Internet pornography decreased boys’ academic performance six months later.
Numerous studies reveal links between porn use and sexual dysfunctions, including porn-induced erectile dysfunction, low desire, and sexual & relationship dissatisfaction. Negative effects are often reversed by stopping Internet porn use.
