Now, it is becoming more and more common that children as young as 11 are becoming addicted to internet pornography giving them 'unrealistic expectations' of sex, according to the new research. It is now 'customary' for schoolchildren to access pornography at an early age and become desensitised to sexual images.
The teaching union in the UK said
children as young as ten should learn about pornography as part of the national
curriculum. The National Association of Headteachers said primary school
teachers needed to respond to the fact that children were now getting a large
amount of their information about sex from the internet. They said sex
education guidelines are hopelessly out of date and cannot cope with the
‘overtly sexualised world’ in which children are now growing up.
But many family campaigners will
argue that teaching children about pornography could actually make the
situation worse, because children could be introduced to the concept for the
first time.
Campaigners say the easy access of
porn online is harming children, and the National Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children (NSPCC – a charity campaigning in child protection in
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands) says they have seen
an upsurge in calls from teenagers upset by what they have seen.
However,
another teaching union – the National Union of Teachers – said it was too early
to start teaching children about porn at primary school.
NAHT policy adviser Sion Humphreys
says teachers should hold lessons on the ‘impact of pornography’.
‘Children are growing up in an overtly
sexualised world,’ he notes. ‘That includes easy access to porn and they need
the skills to deal with it.
‘We would support children being
taught in an age-appropriate way about the impact of pornography as part of a
statutory Personal Social Health Education programme.’
Mr Humphreys explained that lessons
could start from primary school but that the material would depend on age.
‘Evidence suggests ten isn’t too young
to start lessons on pornography, but it wouldn’t be a full-on lesson but the
grounding would be laid down,’ he said.
At the moment, PSHE, which includes
sex and relationships education, is not compulsory in England, unlike other
parts of the UK. Biological facts are part of all lessons in secondary school
science lessons. Beyond that parents have the right to withdraw their children
from any sex education.
The National Union of Teachers,
however, disagreed with their union colleagues. They believe that referring to
issues of porn in lessons is a step too far, and that schools should only talk
about it if asked by students.
But Leonie Hodge, from the charity
Family Lives, said it was vital children learned about porn.
She says: ‘Teenagers are bombarded
with pornography from a young age; you can’t escape it. It’s patronising to say
they can’t cope with the lesson because they can.’
Siobhan Freegard, founder of website
Netmums, said mothers frequently panic when they come across porn on a computer
at home and would welcome support from schools.
She said: ‘It can be a minefield. Many
don’t know what to do or say. For example a single mother may struggle with
teenage boys, a single father may not know how to approach the subject with his
daughter.
‘In
very traditional households, they might not even talk about sex at all. The
ideal solution is for schools and parents to work together.’
The
Department of Education would not comment on the NAHT’s suggestion, but rather
says that it is up to individual schools on how they teach sex education.
Which arguments seem most convincing
to you?
Where is the middle way in resolving
the question?
Is this problem also emerging in
Nigeria, as the Internet becomes more and more accessible to our children?
When the so-called "sexual
education" should begin?
To what extent should the issue be
covered in schools - if at all?
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