How Does Pornography Negatively Affect Children?
These are a few of the effects referenced and cited in the paper:
- Pornography exposure at these young ages often results in symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Children also report feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, anger, fear, and sadness after viewing pornography.
- Children under twelve years old who have viewed pornography are statistically more likely to sexually assault their peers.
- Children exposed to pornographic material are at risk for a broad range of maladaptive behaviors and psychopathology.
- For young people, viewing sexually explicit websites increased the likelihood of having more than one sexual partner in the last three months and for using alcohol and drugs during sexual activity.
To sum it all up, kids suffer negative effects from exposure to and use of pornography in the following ways:
- Kids are mentally disturbed by the violent porn they view and may become addicted to it.
- Many children end up imitating the sexual violence they see with their peers.
- Pornography teaches false ideas about human sexuality which impacts a child’s future ability to enjoy stable, authentic and intimate relationships.
- Pornography use destabilizes and destroys marriages. The negative effect of divorce on children is well-documented.