The Latest on Teens and Porn

Parents, the latest statistics on when teenagers see pornography should remind us that it’s not a matter of if, but when. Consequently, we should be talking to our kids about pornography at younger ages than we might first imagine. The research, from Common Sense Media, tells us that the average age for first time exposure to online pornography is twelve. Fifteen percent of those surveyed saw it when they were ten years old or younger. More than half of the respondents were not looking for pornography. Rather, they report seeing it online accidentally. In other words, pornography found them rather than the other way around. Thirty-one percent viewed online porn while at school. And fifty-two percent report seeing pornography depicting what appears to be rape, choking, or other types of violent sexual behavior. Pornography is a fallen, twisted, and sinful expression of God’s good gift of sexuality. Talk and keep talking about the purpose and place of God’s gift of sex.