Children unhappy with the sex education they receive in schools are widely depending on online pornography for guidance, researchers say.
Dr Miranda Horvath and Professor Joanna Adler from Middlesex University in the U.K. found that access to technology was exposing children to pornography at a young age (at primary school level) and the early exposure to sexually explicit images was putting children at higher risk of becoming sexually active very early.
Researchers concluded this after examining 276 previous studies exploring the subject and seeking the opinion of youngsters across the country. The report compiled for the Office of theChildren's Commissioner in England, found a surge in the number of children- mainly more boys than girls- accessing pornography on the Internet, recently. Exposure and access to such images increased with the age.
The early exposure to pornography was leading youngsters to engage in risky sexual behaviors like, anal sex, having more than one sex partners or consuming alcohol and drugs before sex. Apart from that porn images helped in promoting male dominance among the children by depicting women merely as sex objects, BBC reported.
"Just a few clicks away on any mobile phone, on any tablet for example, children can find really graphic depictions of extreme and violent sexual acts," Deputy children's commissioner Sue Berelowitz, told BBC.
Children reported relaying on the porn images as the sex education they received in school was ineffective and unsatisfactory.
Concerned with the findings, the Commission urged parents and teachers to take necessary steps to protect the younger generation from the hidden risks of online pornography.
"It is clear that children and young people want and need safe spaces in which they can ask questions about, and discuss their experiences with pornography. The onus must be on adults to provide them with evidence based education and support and help them to develop healthy, not harmful relationships with one another," Horvath said, in a University press release.
Some previous incidents have shown the adverse effects of exposure to pornography at an early age. In one such incident, May 2012, a 12-year-old boy from the U.K. underwent court proceedings for raping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl. He reportedly said pornographic images inspired him to rape the girl several times.
