When it comes to evaluating schools, many considerations are involved. Many of those considerations revolve around children’s safety and education. From the content minors are being taught to the food being served in cafeterias or the quality of the resources and facilities, the list goes on and on.
Something that may not be on schools’ radar is the number of students being exposed to or consuming pornography in schools.
Kids go to school to learn about…porn?
In a recent survey conducted by Common Sense, a research and advocacy organization dedicated to reviewing and rating media for children, found that over 41% of the respondents had consumed pornography during the school day. What’s more? Of those who had consumed porn during the school day, 44% reported having done so on school-owned devices. Yikes!
This report, entitled “Teens and Pornography,” and published earlier in January 2023, collected results from over 1300 students, ages 13-17. While not necessarily representative of the general population, it does provide insights into what the trends and general figures are when it comes to adolescents’ porn consumption, particularly in schools.
Here are some of the key findings.
73% of teens have consumed pornography
This figure is one that has grown over the years; in 2014, one study found that 42% of 10 to 17-year-olds had seen porn Wright, P. J., & Donnerstein, E. (2014). Sex online: Pornography, sexual solicitation, and sexting. Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews, 25(3), 574–589.Copy ; in 2021, another study found that number was 63-68%. Bőthe, B., Vaillancourt-Morel, MP., Dion, J. et al. A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents’ Pornography Use Frequency, Motivations, and Problematic Use Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Arch Sex Behav 51, 139–156 (2022).Copy In 2022, some researchers found this number to be as high as 85%.
The average age of first exposure to pornography is 12 years old
Over half (54%) of respondents said they first were exposed to pornography when they were less than 13 years old; 15% reported they were younger than 11.
58% of teen respondents encountered porn accidentally
This figure is on par with other studies conducted. In 2021, one survey found that around 55% of teens’ initial exposure to porn was unintentional. It is likely this number is higher, as over 75% of teens who encountered porn unintentionally never say anything about it. Healy-Cullen, S., Taylor, J.E., Ross, K. et al. Youth Encounters with Internet Pornography: A Survey of Youth, Caregiver, and Educator Perspectives. Sexuality & Culture 26, 491–513 (2022)Copy
29% of respondents were accidentally shown pornography via a friend or classmate
This chart summarizes the different ways the Common Sense study respondents who accidentally came across porn did so—among these reasons: school peers. It shows porn’s increasing presence in schools—the majority of the respondents who said they had consumed porn at school (41% of those in the study) said they had done so in person, not while remote learning. And of this group, 40% consumed porn at school on a weekly basis.
Porn in schools: Is there a reason to be concerned?
Common Sense’s study sheds light on the underresearched area of adolescents’ porn consumption. Healy-Cullen, S., Taylor, J.E., Ross, K. et al. Youth Encounters with Internet Pornography: A Survey of Youth, Caregiver, and Educator Perspectives. Sexuality & Culture 26, 491–513 (2022)Copy As the key findings highlight, there are some telling statistics on both the frequency and sources of teens’ exposure, among them the prominence of pornography in schools and on school devices.
So porn is on the rise in schools and among teens – why is this of such concern, however? Well, it turns out there are many reasons. Let’s take a look at a couple.
Porn is linked with kids’ internalizing and imitating problematic behaviors and views
It’s no secret pornography can show some hard-core stuff. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find content upholding gender and racial stereotypes and often displaying, not only unrealistic, but violent or even illegal behaviors.
Dr. Sharon Coope, pediatrician and faculty member at the University of North Carolina’s School of Medicine, states that “pornography normalizes sexual harm by portraying a lack of emotional relationship between consensual partners, unprotected sexual contact, and, in some instances, violence, and rape.” The consequences of this are significant: adolescents’ porn use has been found to be “linked with stronger gender-stereotypical sexual beliefs” and “related to the occurrence of…more sexual aggression.”
Pornography is especially problematic in children and adolescents, who are more vulnerable to pornography due to particular mirror neurons in their brain that help them learn through imitation; however, when it comes to pornography, these biological aids ultimately “[skew] children’s world view, [increase] high-risk behaviors, and [alter] their capacity for successful and sustained human relationships.”
Research generally finds an association, though not necessarily causation, between pornography and adolescent’s mental well-being
Studies have shown that pornography can influence adolescents’ insecurities about their bodies, appearance, or sexual performance. Kohut T, Štulhofer A. Is pornography use a risk for adolescent well-being? An examination of temporal relationships in two independent panel samples. PLoS One. 2018 Aug 10;13(8):e0202048. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202048. PMID: 30096173; PMCID: PMC6088458.Copy Others have shown how it can undermine attachment functioning, leading to isolation or developing dysfunctional relationships. Still, others show how it has been associated with lower quality of life as an adult, low self-esteem, and greater symptoms of depression. Kohut T, Štulhofer A. Is pornography use a risk for adolescent well-being? An examination of temporal relationships in two independent panel samples. PLoS One. 2018 Aug 10;13(8):e0202048. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202048. PMID: 30096173; PMCID: PMC6088458.Copy
At a time when teens’ mental health problems are on the rise, adding another factor to the mix is the last thing adolescents need. Schools and families are identified as core communities with the potential to give youth a sense of connectedness and stability, an aid to better mental health. As porn becomes increasingly consumed by students at school and shared among their peers, school becomes less of a space conducive to their healthy development and well-being.
What can be done?
As an organization, we aim to inform the public on pornography’s harms, so individuals can make more conscious choices regarding their consumption. We believe open, honest, and shame-free conversations are the way to go. We understand those talks can be difficult to start or navigate. For resources on how to talk about porn to your child, partner, parents, or peers, check out our Conversation Blueprint.
Book a youth presentation at your School
Research suggests that school staff and administrators see pornography as a serious issue that affects their school’s cultural climate surrounding sexual violence, and that education programs on porn help them feel more confident in addressing the issue and preventing sexual harassment.Maas, M. K., Gal, T., Cary, K. M., & Greer, K. (2022). Popular culture and pornography education to improve the efficacy of secondary school staff response to student sexual harassment., 1-23. doi:10.1080/15546128.2022.2076757Copy
Fight the New Drug’s age-appropriate and engaging presentations highlight research from respected academic institutions that demonstrates the significant impacts of porn consumption on individuals, relationships, and society. We take a three-dimensional approach to raising awareness on the harmful effects of pornography in society, so in addition to creating tools and resources for our global supporter base to share, we also love getting face-to-face with people in their schools and cities to provide research-backed information on this important issue.
As a non-legislative and non-religious organization, our goal is to ensure we deliver age-appropriate, key information backed by science and personal accounts to each audience, so they are equipped to make informed decisions regarding pornography. All of our tailored presentations, whether it’s a school, community, parent, or conference presentation, will provide attendees with comprehensive, age-relevant information about:
- How porn impacts the brain
- How porn can harm relationships
- How porn affects society
- Healthy conversations about porn
- Free resources—educational and recovery
Offering presentations customized for each audience, all Fight the New Drug presentations align with our mission as a non-religious and non-legislative organization educating with science, facts, and personal accounts. We can provide engaging, empowering, and educational presentations for these types of audiences:
- Middle School/Junior High
- High School
- Parent/Community
- College/University
- Keynote
We empower audiences to make educated decisions that can better equip them to love themselves, have healthy relationships, and make a positive difference in the world.
What are you waiting for? Click here to learn more and book us today.
