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Let’s face it, the birds and bees sex talk is hard enough. Talking about pornography is even harder. The sad fact is, however, that it is absolutely necessary. In our day and age pornographic images and movies are easily accessible online and children are being exposed to them at a ridiculously young age. It is now believed that the average age of exposure to pornography is EIGHT YEARS OLD! A recent study said that 10% of 12-year-old respondents SELF-REPORTED that they thought they were addicted to porn. 12-year-old addicts.
It is so common to objectify both women and men in our culture that we can easily become desensitized to the dangers of pornography. As the wife of an addict I can testify to you firsthand that this is a very real and very damaging threat. We have to start reaching out to our children and warning them of the dangers of pornography use.
Why do we Need to Talk About Pornography?
What are those dangers? Check out Fight the New Drug to read in-depth about these many other effect of pornography that they have identified and studied:
- Changes the Brain
- Kills Love
- Warps Ideas About Sex
- Acts Like a Drug
- Ruins Sex Life
- Leads to Violence
- Addictive, Leaves You Lonely
- Porn is Based on a Thriving Sex Slave Industry
- Affects your Behavior
- Hurts Your Partner
- Destroys Marriages
- Addiction Escalates
- Porn is created From Lies
It is crucial that parents have open honest conversations with themselves and their kids about the damaging effects of pornography. Fact is that many of us don’t initially recognize the dangers of pornography and once we do we don’t know how to talk about it with those we love. The most important thing is developing a relationship with your child where they feel comfortable speaking to you about their questions and concerns. There is no one right way to talk about this, but there are tons of great resources. Here are some that will help:
Resources for Educating Kids
The Guideline– a free e-book created by Fight the New Drug
How to Talk to Your Kids about Pornography by Dina Alexander
Good Pictures Bad Pictures by Kristen A Jensen
30 Days of Sex Talks ages 3-7, ages 8-11, ages 12+
Fight the New Drug blog, and Facebook Page
Resources for Those Struggling With Addiction
Fortify is a video based online recovery program
12 Step recovery groups; SA, SAA, SLAA, SCA, and SRA
Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction by Mark Lasser
Out of the Shadows by Patrick J. Carnes
Certified Sex Addiction Therapists
LDS addiction Recovery Program
Resources for Those With Addicted Loved Ones
The Ultimate Betrayal Trauma Resource Guide
This is a much needed truth that needs to get out to our culture, and to the church especially!! Pornography has been devastating in SO many families…it is addictive, and destructive, and demoralizing!
Thanks for speaking up about the truth 🙂
Topic that needs to be addressed by parents to their children especially now with so much going on in the world.
A bunch of great resources. Luckily for us, this is a topic we are very open about. However this isn’t a topic that is all that taboo in Denmark, so I think that helps make it an open and easy topic to talk about.
Definitely a neglected topic when it comes to talking to kids, but something we really need to do.