We might be facing a pornography pandemic but Christian parents do have weapons to fight back with

The statistics are bleak. A 2023 report from the UK Children’s Commissioner found that by the age of 13 half of all children have viewed pornography. The porn that is freely available on the internet isn’t like the magazines of the past. Videos are often harsh, involving scenes of sexual coercion and aggression.  

Viewing such material can have a lasting negative effect on young people’s bodies and sexuality. They can grow up with a distorted perception of what sex is, with a lack of understanding of the need for consent and boundaries.  

When we look at our children it can be hard to imagine that they would view pornography out of choice. But curiosity or accidently stumbling on something during an innocuous internet search can lead to seeking out porn.  

Viewing these images can be disturbing, yet they can also spark curiosity about what has popped up. Children may continue to look at a site they’ve accidentally come across to try and make sense out of what they’ve viewed. They may experience pleasure, despite the disturbing nature of the videos. In some cases, this leads to porn addiction, where more and more content is sought out, of a more and more extreme form to satisfy the craving. Porn use plays havoc on people’s ability to have healthy, sexual relationships the way God intended.