Youth/Community Presentation

Help parents better understand the realities and risks of pornography exposure among youth, equip them to have healthy conversations with their children, and provide support for students and families affected by pornography.

The school had become increasingly concerned after discovering students as young as 5th grade accessing and sharing pornography at school. Leadership also wanted to proactively address the growing challenges parents face navigating issues like smartphones, social media, sextortion, and AI-generated explicit content.

Some parents were concerned about whether the presentation content would be appropriate for younger students, particularly 5th and 6th graders.

This is a common concern for schools and communities navigating early exposure to online pornography. Research shows that 73% of teens report seeing pornography by age 17, with the average age of first exposure being just 12 years old. Some children report first exposure as young as elementary school, often before they are developmentally prepared to process what they are seeing. Studies also found that 30% of teens reported exposure during the school day, with some accessing content through school-issued devices.

Fight the New Drug worked closely with school leadership and parents to create a thoughtful, age-appropriate approach.

To help address concerns and build trust, FTND:

• Held multiple calls with the Presentation Coordinator
• Maintained ongoing communication with school leadership and parents
• Encouraged parents to watch the first portions of the Brain, Heart, World documentary beforehand
• Hosted the Parent/Community presentation before the student presentations
• Provided a drafted parent letter explaining the purpose, research, and goals of the event
• Adjusted portions of the presentation for 5th and 6th graders while keeping the standard Middle School presentation for 7th and 8th graders

FTND presentations are specifically designed to be age-appropriate while still addressing the realities young people face online. Presentations use science, facts, humor, interactive elements, and personal accounts to educate without shame or graphic content.

The presentations focus on:

• How pornography impacts the brain, relationships, and society
• Healthy conversations around pornography and online safety
• How to help a child struggling with pornography
• Sextortion, image-based sexual abuse, and online exploitation
• Resources for parents, students, and families
• How to navigate the realities of social media and AI-generated explicit content

Despite initial hesitation, the presentations received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both parents and staff.

One organizer shared:

“I had gotten some pushback from parents and staff about hosting this event, but every parent who attended the parent meeting gave their OK for their student to attend the student event. The staff member who had reservations about the topic said it was ‘actually really good.’ I think the students learned a lot, and it has opened the doors for parents and their children to have healthy conversations about the topic and other topics as well that may be hard to talk about. Thank you so much for coming out…I plan on scheduling you again in a few years.”

They also noted that the presentation helped open the door for healthier conversations between parents and children around difficult topics and expressed plans to bring FTND back again in the future.