Watching Porn At A Young Age

Watching Porn At A Young Age

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Every child’s experience will be unique to them, and every child deserves to learn about sex and relationships from healthier sources than porn.
This article contains affiliate links. Fight the New Drug may receive financial support from purchases made using affiliate links.
The fact is, it isn’t completely clear exactly how old most kids are when they’re first exposed to porn.
Also, every child’s experience will be unique to them. But regardless of the average age, every child is different, and every child deserves to learn about sex, sexuality, and relationships from healthier sources than porn.
Based on available data, the likely age of a child’s first exposure to porn is around tween years. The majority of kids are exposed to porn by age 13, with some exposed as young as seven, according to a 2020 survey. British Board of Film Classification. (2020). Young people, pornography & age-verification. BBFC COPY 1
But no matter how young, these incidents aren’t isolated cases, and it’s not like early porn exposure only happens to a small slice of people—in fact, in the United States, it happens to almost everybody before they leave their teens. A nationally representative estimate of U.S. youths (ages 14 to 18) exposed to pornography: 84.4% of males and 57% of females.
If you’re curious to see some anecdotal evidence for early porn exposure being the rule and not the exception, check out this tweet of ours and the dozens of responses we got:
How were you first exposed to porn, and how old were you?
— Fight the New Drug (@FightTheNewDrug) May 30, 2019
The responses range from, “ 6 years old. My older sisters found our mom’s boyfriend’s tape and played it ,” to, “ I tried to go on YouTube but ended up spelling it wrong by accident and launched a porn site. I was 8. ”
Clearly, these cases aren’t isolated. Another estimate says that 93% of young men under the age of 18 have seen porn, along with 62% of young women of the same age.
It’s not exactly clear how these numbers compare to previous generations, but what is clear is that exposure to porn is happening earlier than it ever used to, and it’s more hardcore and accessible than it ever used to be. For previous generations, the story was almost always the same—a young boy or girl finds an adult magazine found on the side of the road, taken from the garbage, or swiped from an older sibling’s “secret” hiding place.
The images in these types of magazines were far tamer than the content that’s available today with one simple click or misspelled search term, and there was another major difference too—hardcore or explicit content wasn’t available everywhere.
It’s an obvious difference, but porn has quite simply become far easier to find in many more places than it ever used to be, which makes the likelihood of early exposure much higher.
And consider this. If 60% of 10 and 11-year-olds have smartphones , is it really all that surprising that, sometimes, they encounter porn online whether they’re looking for it or not?
It’s not surprising that these numbers have skyrocketed, but that’s only half of the equation. Young people are being exposed to porn much earlier, but that porn is often much more extreme than it ever used to be.
That can be worrying, because studies have shown that kids who have been exposed to hardcore images and videos can be more likely to want to repeat what they’ve seen without exactly understanding the meaning or the impact of what they’ve seen. That’s led to scenarios in which younger and younger girls and boys are being pressured into sexual acts by their peers and learning that sex is about fear, violence, and domination—not love, intimacy, and connection.
At the same time, limiting access to porn is much more difficult than it’s ever been. Even if the home computer and family mobile devices are safeguarded, there’s always a friend with a smartphone or unchecked internet access, and not even the most diligent parents can be 24/7 watchdogs. With the way things are right now, early exposure to porn is almost impossible to control completely. But, it’s not all bad news.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Even if porn consumption is happening earlier than ever and at an all-time high rate, parents shouldn’t be entirely discouraged. We live in a time where there is less of a deafening silence around this issue, and anyone can get help who might need it.
There are tons of resources for parental figures to navigate talking to their kids about sex and porn, and talking about it early.
And like never before, there are also amazing resources for those who might be struggling with an obsession or compulsion to porn. Now, more than ever, there is hope.
With our comprehensive understanding of exactly how porn can harm and why it isn’t healthy to watch , we can more effectively equip those around us to understand why they shouldn’t go looking for it, and even if they’ve already seen it, it’s not worth watching. Running away from the issue won’t help to equip the next generation to think critically about porn and make educated decisions.
Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to step up and speak out about the harms of porn.
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1 British Board of Film Classification. (2020). Young people, pornography & age-verification. BBFC
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Alysse ElHage | September 19, 2016 | SHARE:

“It felt like my stomach was rotting from the inside out.”
That is how Joseph, a 12 year-old boy from Canada, described his reaction to viewing pornography on the Internet. During an interview with W5, a Canadian TV program, he shared how he was first exposed to porn at the age of nine. He said it began accidently, with pop-up ads on gaming websites, and then progressed to intentional searches on Google, and eventually became an addiction he could not hide.
As the mom of a tween daughter and pre-school aged son, stories like Joseph’s scare me. One of my greatest concerns for my children is how to protect them from being exposed to sexually explicit material, especially online. It is why our daughter does not have a tablet or cell phone like some of her friends, and why we are exploring filtering software for all our media devices. I am, admittedly, overly cautious with my kids when it comes to the Internet, but with the deluge of porn that is available at the click of a mouse or swipe of a screen, I would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to preserving their innocence.
According to the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds), my concerns about the threat of online pornography are well founded. In a recent position statement, ACPeds notes that “pornography has become pervasive throughout American culture,” and warns that young people report being exposed to porn as young as age 10. Additionally, a new Barna report found that 71 percent of young adults and 50 percent of teens report being exposed to porn at least once a week, the majority through online videos.
Just as Joseph described in his TV interview, the ACPeds statement explains that, “pornography exposure at these young ages often results in anxiety for the child,” with children reporting, “feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, anger, fear, and sadness after viewing pornography.” The statement highlights the following detrimental effects of viewing porn, including that it:
Distorts young people’s view of sexuality. For boys, this negatively impacts how they view women, who are seen mainly as sex objects, rather than multifaceted human beings. But it can be equally harmful for girls, negatively impacting their self-esteem, causing them to see themselves as sexual objects, and leading them to accept abusive behaviors, including rape, as “normal.”
Leads to earlier sexual activity and more lifetime sexual partners for both boys and girls, which can increase the risk of teen pregnancy, abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Destroys relationships. A 2014 study of 20,000 adults who had ever been married found that those who had watched X-rated films were more likely to: report being unhappy in their marriages, have had extramarital affairs, and be divorced.
Increases the risk of porn addiction. Similar to drugs and alcohol, the younger a person starts viewing porn, the more likely he or she is to become addicted. In fact, one study by Cambridge University scientists showed that brain scans of avid pornography viewers were similar to those of drug addicts. As one young man who is seeking treatment for porn addiction explained on the blog, I Believe in Love, his need to view porn progressed from “once in a blue moon” in elementary school, to three times a week in college. “If I didn’t use porn in a certain period of time,” he wrote, “I suffered from… withdrawal symptoms,” including “highly elevated heart rate, anxiety and irritability, and mild to severe tremors in my hands.”
There are a number of excellent resources available to help parents navigate the Internet and discuss the harms of porn with their children, including the following:
In light of the pervasive effects of pornography, ACPeds recommends that parents take a number of steps to protect children from being exposed to sexually explicit material online, such as:
Placing home computers in public spaces in the home, never in a child’s room (including cell phones, iPads, gaming devices, etc.);
Equipping all media devices with Internet filtering and monitoring software;
In the case of pornography addiction, seeking out services that “offer the ability to create accountability partnerships [between parents and children] that increase the success of breaking free from pornography addiction.”
In addition to doing what we can to protect our media devices from pornography, perhaps the most important step we can take is to prepare our children for how to handle sexually explicit material when they are exposed. Even though it is a difficult discussion to have, experts advise that we talk about the dangers of porn with our kids early on, and let them know they can and should come to us first, if and when they encounter porn.
“I encourage parents to just assume the worst,” warns ACPeds president and pediatrician, Michelle Cretella, M.D., who recently discussed the harms of pornography on NC Family’s radio show “Family Policy Matters.” She added, “The chances of accidentally coming across porn at some point is probably close to 100 percent for most kids.”
Dr. Cretella said parents should be up front with their kids about the dangers online, and keep the lines of communication open. “I encourage parents to let their children know, ‘sometimes pictures might come up that surprise you or make you feel yucky or confused or guilty,’” she said. “[Tell them] ‘If you ever see something that bothers you, or that makes you feel yucky, please tell me, and I will help you.’”
Joseph, the 12-year-old Canadian boy who developed a pornography addiction, echoed this important advice for kids and parents:
“Tell your parents … say ‘that pop-up happened, please help me,’” he said. “Deal with it as soon as you can, because it will eat you like an acid.”
Alysse ElHage is Associate Director of Research for the North Carolina Family Policy Council.

Pornography Viewing Starts as Early as Elementary School pornography
By Amy Steele, LCSW – June 5, 2018 –
Surprisingly, the average age of a child the first time they see internet pornography is 11 years. Kids don’t have to be looking for pornography; it is programmed to find them.
To think that it won’t happen to your child leaves them at risk for stumbling upon sexually-explicit material online (whether they are looking for it or not) that they are not developmentally able to handle, emotionally or mentally.
Tweens and teens are at the age of natural curiosity about sex. When presented with the opportunity and such easy access, many are choosing to view pornography – and doing it more than once. Today’s porn content is drastically more graphic, violent, deviant and destructive than anything ever seen before.
Highly sexualized, violent material poses many risks for a developing brain. In the adolescent years when brains are still developing, viewing porn can deform the pleasure centers of their brain.
Neurological research has found that pornography is particularly addictive because of the neuro-chemical release in the brain that occurs while viewing it. For many youth, the euphoric “high” that occurs quickly develops into a coping style for escaping emotional distress.
Studies have shown that kids who viewed pornography for hours each week have less gray matter in their brain than those who did not view it. This means there are fewer neurons and neuro-connectivity in the pleasure centers of the brain, leaving the brain craving more while making it harder for the same images to provide pleasure.
Therefore, young viewers seek more graphic and violent content, an indicator of addiction. Males make up the majority of those addicted to pornography, but females are also addicted.
Youth that view pornography once a month or more are at a greater risk of developing depression, anxiety, sexually permissive attitudes, preoccupation with sex, inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality, unrealistic ideas about sexual relationships, insecurities about body images in females and insecurities about sexual performance in males.
As an adult, they are more likely to be unfaithful to their spouse. Fifty-six percent of divorce cases involve one party having obsessive interest in online pornography. With the increase of internet pornography and pornography addictions, there has been an increase in violent sex crimes, an increase in child pornography, and sex trafficking is at an all-time high.
Parents, it’s time to let LOVE overpower the discomfort of discussing this topic. Talk to your tweens and teens about pornography. Keep revisiting it; this is not a one-time conversation.
Look for teachable moments in the media and daily life. Remind your child of your family values. Tell kids where pornography may pop up online and what to do if they find it – turn it off and talk to a trusted adult.
Reassure them they will not be in trouble if they come to you right away. Teach them about responsible online behavior and rules. Establish house/family rules such as computers/laptops must be in main living areas; devices must be kept out of bedrooms; phones must be turned into parents at night for charging. Block pop-ups on computers.
Most importantly: Frequently check kids’ phones, tablets and computers. Read their texts and emails. Look at their pictures, social media and other apps. This is not an invasion of privacy. It is your responsibility as a parent to keep your tween or teen safe in the age of technology.
Help protect and heal the hearts of children by supporting Youth First!
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
By Patrick Howse Education reporter
A young woman talks to Sima Kotecha about how her boyfriend's pornography habit led to him abusing her when she was 13
A tenth of 12 to 13-year-olds fear they are "addicted" to pornography, an NSPCC ChildLine survey has concluded.
One in five of nearly 700 youngsters surveyed said they had seen pornographic images that had shocked or upset them, researchers found.
The charity also says that 12% of those surveyed said they had taken part in, or had made, a sexually explicit video.
It says that viewing porn is "a part of everyday life" for many of the children who contact its helpline.
ChildLine has launched a campaign to raise awareness and provide advice to young people about the harmful implications of an over exposure to porn following the survey results.
One boy under the age of 15 told ChildLine that he was "always watching porn, and some of it is quite aggressive".
He said: "I didn't think it was affecting me at first but I've started to view girls a bit differently recently and it's making me worried.
"I would like to get married in the future but I'm scared it might never happen if I carry on thinking about girls the way I do."
A girl, who is now 17, told the BBC that she was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend when they were both 12 years old.
"He thought it was OK on some level," she said.
"Pornography isn't just a 10-minute video - it has consequences."
The ChildLine Fight Against Porn Zombies (FAPZ) campaign uses a series of animations looking at the implications of overexposure to porn for boys and girls.
The animations link to a range of information and advice to help young people understand the effects of replicating pornographic content in real life and to protect them from putting themselves at risk.
Peter Liver, director of ChildLine, said that it was important to talk openly about the issue.
"Children of all ages today have easy access to a wide range of pornography," he said. "If we as a society shy away from talking about this issue, we are failing the thousands of young people it is affecting.
"We know from the young people who contact ChildLine that viewing porn is a part of everyday life, and our poll shows that one in five 12 to 13-year-olds thinks that watching porn is normal behaviour.
"They tell ChildLine that watching porn is making them feel depressed, giving them body image issues, and making them feel pressured to engage in sexual acts they're not ready for."
He welcomed the announcement last week of plans to teach children from the age of 11 about rape and sexual consent as part of personal, social and health education (PSHE) in schools.
"Our campaign clearly complements this proposal," he said.
"Across society, we need to remove the embarrassment and shame that exists around talking about porn - which is why we are launching this activity and helping young people to make more informed choices."
NSPCC's head of sexual abuse programmes, Jon Brown, says he is "not surprised" at the survey's findings
Dame Esther Rantzen, ChildLine's founder, said it was shocking that children as young as 11 are approaching the helpline with concerns about pornography.
"Young people are turning to the internet to learn about sex and relationships," she said.
"We know they are frequently stumbling across porn, often unintentionally, and they are telling us very clearly that this is having a damaging and upsetting effect on them.
"Girls in particular have said they feel like they have to look and behave like porn stars to be liked by boys."
Dame Esther said that improved education was vital.
"We absolutely have to talk to young people about sex, love, respect and consent as soon as we feel they are ready, to
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