The words of one 13-year-old boy illustrate the findings of the largest ever study to date into the impact of online pornography on young people.
The research has revealed that half of 11 to 16-year-olds have been exposed to pornography, with the vast majority having viewed it by the age of 14. Worryingly, many of these young people believe that what they have seen is “realistic” and some – especially boys – say they would like to copy it.
The research has been commissioned and published by the Children’s Commissioner for England and the NSPCC.
The findings are based on a survey of more than 1,000 children aged 11 to 16. It revealed that at least half of these young people had been exposed to online porn, with 94 per cent having seen it by the age of 14. This included 28 per cent of 11 to 12-year-olds who had seen porn online.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting SecEd and reading some of our content for professionals in secondary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcast
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday
Already have an account? Sign in here