Because this month is February we are going to focus on different infographics that relate to students and their online behaviours. Last week we wrote a post called, “What porn does to the teenage brain.” It’s worth a read. Infographics are a quick and easy way to learn some useful stats.
We live in a digital world. A world that is different from what I grew up in. I remember the first computer going into the library. I remember getting my first computer at home. Students today are raised digitally. My kids will never remember a time without iPhones, iPads, ect. We need to be strategic on how we speak to teenagers about their digital presence. It matters what they put out there, and what they are exposed to.
Here are few things that stand out to me from this infographic called: Teens and porn.
1. 93% of boys and 62% of girls are exposed to internet porn by 18. What does this mean? We need to teach on this more. This need to be more of a discipleship issue today. My pastor last year talked during a series on porn, and it was refreshing. We need to speak truth and walk students this digital world.
This also means that we need to break it to parents that their kids are going to be exposed to porn. It’s not if, but when. I find that the parents I work with are still in a bit of denial. They say things like, “My kids aren’t exposed yet”, or “we have a internet blocker at home”. What about when your kid isn’t at home? What about when they are at starbucks, school, or a friends house?
I am working on a parent kit for any youth pastor to teach on student today in a digital world. We live a crazy tech driven place, and parents need all the help the can get.
2. 83% of boys and 57% of girls have witnessed group sex online. Sin only leads to more sin. Sexual deviancy only leads to more deviancy. I think that students today think that what they are looking at is harmless.
This is shown in Jian Ghomeshi’s memoir 1982, “Without porn, how were we supposed to learn how sex was done? Of course, pornography was often sexist, exploitative, patriarchal, and full of the wrong messages about human relationships and intimacy. But even so, it could have served as a handy tool for seeing how this foreplay and intercourse thing happened.” If you don’t know who Jian Ghomeshi is, he was a radio host in canada who is being accused of seven accounts of sexual abuse.
He posted on his Facebook how he view his accusations before they all came out, “We saw each other on and off over the period of a year and began engaging in adventurous forms of sex that included role-play, dominance and submission. We discussed our interests at length before engaging in rough sex (forms of BDSM). We talked about using safe words and regularly checked in with each other about our comfort levels. She encouraged our role-play and often was the initiator. We joked about our relations being like a mild form of Fifty Shades of Grey…. I don’t wish to get into any more detail because it is truly not anyone’s business what two consenting adults do. I have never discussed my private life before. Sexual preferences are a human right.”
Porn isn’t going to lead student’s to normal sexual experiences. It’s going to distort what is normal, for deviant. Porn is already changing sexual behaviours.
What else stands out to you from this infographic? How are you going to teach the students you lead about the dangers of porn?
