Children’s exposure to porn
Children are accessing porn online at an early age. While the average age at which children first see pornography online is 13, over a quarter see it at age 11 and 1 in 10 children see it at age 9.
Kids might see pornographic content as a result of them purposefully seeking for it online out of curiosity. Porn sites are easy to find, and despite many of the sites asking if the visitor is at least 18 years of age, most do not have any form of age verification. However, children may accidentally come across porn on social media, in website ads, or when a friend sends it to them.
Learn what you should do if your child is exposed to porn in our online pornography guide.
Risks of exposure to porn
Exposure to pornography at a young age can have various negative impacts.
Mental health and body image impact
Boys viewing porn might have their views on masculinity and sexuality shaped by the content they see. Girls might feel like they should imitate the women they see in the content. Both boys and girls can develop body image issues due to the physiques of the people they see in pornography.
Unrealistic ideas about relationships
Porn does not represent an accurate portrayal of sex and relationships, but children viewing it might believe it does. This can create unrealistic expectations in children, and could cause them to be confused about the concepts of respect and intimacy and desensitised to aggressive behaviour. This could also lead to misogynistic ideas for boys.
Exploitation
If children are exploring porn online, it can lead to them visiting unsafe and risky websites. On these sites they might talk to strangers or be infected by malware.
How do I know if my child has seen porn?
The best way to learn if your child has viewed porn is by regularly asking them about their online experience and having an open dialogue with them about what they do online. However, some children might feel embarrassed about viewing porn or fear getting in trouble if they admit it. In this case, paying attention to their behaviour can tell you if they have viewed pornography.
An increased interest in sexuality and sexual language, screen-switching when you go near their computer and unexplained charges on your or their bank cards are all signs that your child has watched pornography. Taking a look at their search history and visited websites can also tell you if they have been viewing porn. Finding inappropriate sites or no history at all are both signs that porn has been accessed.