Today children are more exposed to sexually explicit internet material (SEIM) than they have been in the past. Unfortunately, many parents and professional healthcare providers are not addressing the issue.
A study was conducted to determine how Internet pornography affects children’s health as it relates to behavior, psychological well-being, and social development. (Principi et. al, 2022).
The results of the study show “an association between consumption of Internet pornography and several negative behavioral, psychophysical and social outcomes,” (Principi, et al, 2022). These outcomes were:
“Earlier sexual debut, engaging with multiple and/or occasional partners, emulating risky sexual behaviors, assimilating distorted gender roles, dysfunctional body perception, aggressiveness, anxious or depressive symptoms, and compulsive pornography use.” (Principi et al., 2022).
These negative effects of Internet porn cannot be ignored. The authors of the study recommended “global and multidisciplinary interventions” that would educate parents, teachers, and healthcare providers on how to help children think critically about pornography and limit its use.
Children need appropriate and effective sex education to meet the needs of their stage of development. Everyone needs to be aware of what exposure to porn can do to their children. This is true, especially for parents. This is because parents are the ‘first line of defense’ for their children as they can take steps to protect them from harm. One way they can do this is by being willing to repair the damage their children may already have experienced from exposure to pornography. Finally, they can teach critical thinking skills to help their children focus on important things and sort out the truth from lies.
One idea that would be helpful for parents would be to limit screen time and get their children involved in activities such as sports. This is because activities like sports allow them to interact with others. Other activities such as music, drama, art, writing, or in-person social gatherings, can give children opportunities to feel appreciated by their peers.
It is not an easy task to raise children today, but it wasn’t easy for any generation of parents who have come before us and faced physical hardships and uncertainty. We must also have the same courage and strength that they did to find ways to protect our children from the dangers that lurk online to harm them.
Sources:
Hartney, E. (2023, October 4). The difference between an addiction and a compulsion.
Verywellmind, online. Medically reviewed by Umhau, J. C. (MD, MPH, CPE)
Principi, N., 1 Magnoni, P., 1 Ludovico, G., 1 Carnevali, D., 1 Cavazzana, L., 1 & Pellai, A. 2 (2022,
June). Consumption of sexually explicit internet material and its effects on minors’ health: latest
evidence from the literature. (2022, June). Minerva Pediatrics. 74(3) 332-339).
doi: 10.23736/S2724-5276.19.05367-2
Umhau, J.C. (MD, MPH, CPE)
Authors’ affiliations:
1 Post Graduate School in Public Health, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health,
University of Milan, Milan, Italy;
2 Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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