Sexting and Pornography: Introduction

Unless you are under 25 years of age, it will be almost impossible for you to appreciate what it must be like to grow up in the immersive age of social media and the internet.  From talking to young people, the relentless pressure this technology inflicts is all-encompassing and is something that adults, internet providers and legislators are struggling to comprehend.

Through exposure to online pornography from an increasingly young age and messages conveyed in the media, children are growing up believing that violence and non-consensual sex in relationships is not just normal, but is to be expected.

Concurrently, children are being pressurized by adults and other children to engage in harmful sexual behaviour, such as sexting or sharing indecent images, and do not have the knowledge, resilience or confidence to recognise abusive or coercive behaviour.

What practical steps can parents and young people take to protect themselves?