Children are being exposed to pornography at increasingly younger ages, according to a new survey that found 15% of teenagers were exposed to sexually explicit content before they turned 11 years old.
The study from Common Sense Media revealed that 73% of teenagers aged 17 and under have been exposed to pornographic images either on accident or on purpose. Of those surveyed, 15% said they had been exposed to explicit content at age 10 or younger. The average age of introduction is 12.
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The survey found that 44% of teenagers have purposefully exposed themselves to pornographic content, while 29% said they had only ever been exposed accidentally. Additionally, 52% of teenage boys said they viewed pornography on purpose, while 36% of girls said the same.
“The results of this research confirm a very important point: It’s time for us to talk about pornography,” Common Sense Media CEO and founder James Steyer said. “We need to consider conversations with teens about pornography the same way we think of conversations about sex, social media, drug and alcohol use, and more. Kids can and will be exposed to pornography one way or another, often before a caregiver has a chance to tackle the subject.”
The survey, which polled 1,300 teenagers aged 13-17, revealed that 52% of teenagers who had seen pornographic content reported seeing “violent pornography,” while 45% said pornography “gives helpful information about sex.”
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“Most parents probably think, ‘Well, that’s not my kid.’ But the numbers are overwhelming, so it probably is your kid,” Steyer said, according to CNN. “This is an incredibly important public health and sexual health issue that’s literally being buried by parents, by educators, and by all of us.”
