Whether you are a parent, or a teenager, or just a worried person about the pornography impact on teens and tweens, then you have just landed in the right place!
During the last few years, the use of digital platforms for visiting pages with high sexual and pornographic content has been normalized. It only takes one click (and maybe a Credit Card) to get easy access to all sorts of sexual content. According to a study done by the American Psychology Association, the average age of first exposure was 13.37 years of age with the youngest exposure as early as 5 and the latest older than 26.
In today’s society, we are exposed to models of sexuality for which we are not yet ready. Unfortunately, this easy-to-find sexual content helps sex education to be in the hands of the pornographic industry, causing a lack of empathy that promotes sexual exploitation. Not the best place to get sex educated, is it?
Sexual education is necessary for the familiar scope. It is important to have or ask for a safe space to talk about concepts such as gender equality, consent, or autonomy, so we can create healthy social and sexual relationships.
The real pornography impact on teens and tweens
Distortion of the roles between people
Porn storytelling is thought and made to recreate fantasies and non-realistic scenes. As clinical psychologist Dr. Fran Brinn points out, “…real bodies have pubic hair and make weird noises.”, while the actors and actresses in porn stories are picked up for being the perfect body fit with the highest levels of sexual attraction. So, in other words, it is impossible not to like them. And so, if we compare ourselves with them, we may (of course) feel less or inferior.
Now, talking about people’s sexual connections, we can realize that pornography makes us think about females as inferior. Most of the videos that you can find online are related to sexual abuse, violence, and not consensual acts. This message can’t be farther from reality. Real and healthy sexual relationships are based on trust, appreciation, consent, and mutual enjoyment.
Creates addiction and aggressive behaviors
This is a really strong and important pornography impact on teens. Neil Moshe Malamuth, a professor of psychology at the University of California, compared the use of pornography to that of alcohol consumption, arguing that if a sexually aggressive person naturally viewed large amounts of porn, they were more likely to engage in sexually aggressive acts. Besides, pornography consumption causes anxiety, which leads to disgusts, anger, and shame behaviors, and even the obsession of recreating the sexual acts performed in the videos.
It is also proven by many studies that our brains liberate dopamine when watching pornography. Dopamine makes us feel satisfied, happy, and motivated, and that dopamine hit can become addictive. Have you ever felt that you want more and more porn every time? This is why. We end up in an infinite loop where we can’t escape.
But don’t worry! Not everything is hopeless. There is always help for you. If you identify that you:
-You can’t stop
-You want more
-You have lost attraction
-You feel anxious
-You feel that you can’t control it
…then talk to your parents, to a trusted adult or school counselor. There are always ways to help! #StartTheConversation.
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Watch some expert’s input about the pornography impact on teens and tweens in these videos. ⬇️ ⬇️
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Fran Brinn – Pornography impact on teens and tweens
Watch Dr. Fran Brinn’s expert output about the pornography impact on teens and tweens for more information.👇👇
Keep it real online
At I’m Enough we care about sex education in teens and tweens. We support any campaigns for parents and caregivers to keep their children safe online. Being a parent or caregiver in the digital age can be challenging. Here you will find tools and advice to help you ‘keep it real online’ with your children and young people. Get help & advice at www.keepitrealonline.govt.nz. Watch the video 👇👇
The I’m Enough Trust, Founder and Team would like to say a big thank you to Dr. Fran Binn for sharing her knowledge and resources with us.
Emergency and help lines
Everyone knows someone in need, whether it's a family member, a school or work friend, an associate or someone that you meet as you are going about daily life. Perhaps you do not know where to find help. MyRivr uses your location details to be able to provide you with the exact service providers close to you should you need support or need a nearby agency.
About MyRivr
As an ex-cop and gang member, Akerei (Rei) Maresala-Thomson has spent time witnessing the struggles and challenges of the New Zealand community
After 12 years serving with the NZ Police, Rei resigned from his role as Senior Sergeant in Charge of the Pacific, Ethnic and Asian portfolio for Counties Manukau in March, 2017.
He has made it his mission to continue confronting issues, and trying to improve Pacific wellbeing in NZ – but this time he is using technology.
Rei is now the Technical Advisor for free app MYRIVR, a self-funded and volunteer managed concept from the community which was developed and released in 2015 by Corefusion Limited as MASA (Multi-Agency Services Application) to assist in a successful trial with Counties Manukau Police.
MYRIVR is now NZ’s largest in-app directory of community services, enabling visibility and instant access to more than 20,000 helpers and over 7,000 health and social services around the country.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
Kidsline is New Zealand's original telephone counselling service for all kids up to 14 years of age. Kidsline operates from 4pm to 6pm Monday through to Friday. When kids ring they will speak to a Kidsline buddy – a specially trained teenage telephone counsellor.
Lifeline's telephone counselling service provides 24 hour a day, 7 day a week counselling and support. Calls are confidential and free and you will speak to a trained Lifeline counsellor.
Phone: 522 2999 (within Auckland)
Phone: 0800 543 354 (outside Auckland)
Information for parents on creating a safe online learning and social environment for your children at home.
Information and advice about cyberbullying for young people, parents and teachers.
Kia Kaha is a school-based programme that aims to help schools create environments where all members of the community feel safe, respected and valued, and where bullying cannot flourish.
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions).
This includes includes The Journal online help service.
An online e-therapy tool provided by the University of Auckland that helps young people learn skills to deal with feeling down, depressed or stressed.
Provides confidential telephone support.
Helplines for children and young people
What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18 year olds).
Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, midday–11pm and weekends, 3pm–11pm.
Online chat is available 7pm–10pm daily.
Depression Helpline (8am to midnight) Phone: 0800 111 757
Samaritans Phone: 0800 726 666
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Alcohol and Drug Helpline – 0800 787 797 or online chat
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Gambling Helpline – 0800 654 655
Anxiety phone line – 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY)
A free information service for older people
Phone: 0800 725 463
0508MUSICHELP – The Wellbeing Service is a 24/7 online, on the phone and in-person counselling service fully funded by the NZ Music Foundation and provided free of charge to those in the Kiwi music community who can't access the help they need due to hardship and other circumstances. Call 0508 MUSICHELP.
Shine – 0508 744 633 confidential domestic abuse helpline
Quit Line – 0800 778 778 smoking cessation help
Vagus Line – 0800 56 76 666 (Mon, Wed, Fri 12 noon – 2pm).
Promote family harmony among Chinese, enhance parenting skills, decrease conflict among family members (couple, parent-child, in-laws) and stop family violence
Women's Refuge Crisisline – 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE) (for women living with violence, or in fear, in their relationship or family)
Shakti Crisis Line – 0800 742 584 (for migrant or refugee women living with family violence)
Rape Crisis – 0800 883 300 (for support after rape or sexual assault)
Free peer support services for people experiencing mental illness or those supporting them
Canterbury and West Coast – 03 379 8415 / 0800 899 276 (1pm to midnight, seven nights)
Free peer support services for people experiencing mental illness or those supporting them
Wellington 0800 200 207 (7pm–1am, Tuesday to Sunday)
Free peer support services for people experiencing mental illness or those supporting them
Auckland Central 0508 927 654 or 0508 WARMLINE (8pm to midnight, seven nights)
Mental Health Crisis Helpline - 0800 800 717
Depression and anxiety affects us all differently.
Free 24/7 Helpline: 0800 111 757 Text 4202
Lifeline – 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
Whatever you're going through, call us any time on 0800 726 666.
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18 year olds).
Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, midday–11pm and weekends, 3pm–11pm. Online chat is available 7pm–10pm daily.
Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7.
thelowdown.co.nz – Phone: 0800 111 757 or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626
Supporting Families in Mental Illness - 0800 732 825.
We all face challenges to our mental health at various times in our lives. The way we’re feeling can change how we think and how we deal with tough times.
There’s a range of resources and services available to help including phone and online services and information, as well as face-to-face support.
Most services are free and provide information and confidential advice from trained professionals. There's also information for family, whānau, or friends if they need advice and support.
If you’re told that there is a waiting time for a service, please still reach out and make contact. Other supports can be put in place – ask what you can try in the meantime.
Helplines for children and young people
Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor.
To talk to a trained counsellor 24/7 call the Depression helpline – 0800 111 757.
To get help from a registered nurse 24/7 call Healthline – 0800 611 116.
Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.
What's Up – 0800 942 8787, (for 5–18-year-olds). Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, 1 pm–10 pm and on weekends, 3 pm–10 pm. Online chat is available from 7 pm–10 pm daily.