15_7_21_ICS_young people

Carolina Lupo Colombo, graduate in Psychopedagogy and Master's Degree in Bioethics and collaborator of project 'Education of Affectivity and Human Sexuality' of the Institute for Culture and Societygave a seminar graduate 'Young people and pornography in the technological society'. In this interview she reviews the main keys to this issue.

In a society as technological as today's, practically all young people have unlimited access to the Internet. What risks can a misuse of network pose for the correct affective-sexual Education of young people?

As we all know, our society, in most areas, is permeated by the use of new technologies. We cannot deny the advantages and opportunities they bring. But those of us who deal with the Education of our young people, must be especially attentive and warn about the risks to which many of them are exposed.

 Many researchers agree that we are facing a new social phenomenon that can be explained by what we technically call the "Triple A Engine", that is: 1) Accessibility - the possibility of accessing the Internet is universal- , 2) Affordability - it can be obtained easily, almost effortlessly-, 3) Anonymity - it is possible to access anonymously to all subject of material-.

Taking these aspects into account, we can classify online risks into four categories: content risks, contact, privacy risks and those derived from commercial and advertising activities. If we refer to the most clearly detectable risks that can affect the affective-sexual training of our young people, we will focus on those that are more related to a exhibition to increasingly explicit sexual content, to the reception of misleading messages or to the distortion of information. The risks of contact have to do with those situations in which young people may interact with potentially dangerous interlocutors, mostly anonymous or unknown. Finally, we consider the risks that infringe on privacy, invading a person's intimacy. As an example, we can mention the phenomenon of sexting, which consists of photographing oneself, nude or semi-nude, and then sending these images via mobile devices. It can occur on one's own initiative or at the request of third parties.

What do the statistics say about the extent of this problem?

When we talk about pornography, we must add a fourth "A" to the "Triple A Engine" phenomenon I referred to earlier, that of Acceptability . It is a social fact that pornography today has become part of cultural conventionality. There is no lack of those who defend it by claiming that it is harmless entertainment, or a "right", that no one else is affected by it. staff that no one else is affected by it. Nothing could be further from the scientific evidence. If we refer to young people or adolescents, the statistics are alarming, and it is estimated that the effects will be even worse. The possibility of unrestricted access to the Internet makes them particularly vulnerable. Several researches show that the initial impact on the mind of an adolescent generates a deep discomfort and stress, because they are not yet able to psychologically process these images, distorting the mental representation of them. Among them, females are more likely to report that they find the experience disturbing.

The way in which sex and pornography burst into the lives of young people from all over the world distorts their perception of sexuality and reality. Many young people reach a Degree close to a real addiction, they manifest feeling sexually attracted to fictitious and virtual women, instead of real human beings. They end up thinking that every woman must "be available".

On the other hand, it is interesting to recall the latest statistical data regarding abuse and gender violence in Spain: it is increasing among adolescents. Although this is a multi-causal phenomenon, several programs of study are finding the existence of a notorious correlation between pornography consumption and a significant increase in passivity and acceptance of physical and sexual aggression. Without going too far, we have been able to verify through journalistic means the effects that the movie '50 shades of Grey' has produced in some adolescents, who perceived sexual violence as an erotic element or a "sexy" ingredient. In this scenario not only women are affected but in a certain way also men, who end up being unable to own their sexuality. Some women feel pressured to create their own pornographic videos or to take as normal the use of violence in their relationships. Many have the misconception that sexuality must necessarily include what they see in these pornographic videos.

deadline What are the short, medium or long term repercussions of this status?

leave We must remember that the older the age of exhibition and the more extreme the pornographic material, the greater the intensity of its effects. Several professionals confirm the popularity of pornography even among pre-adolescents. They consider that we are facing a real silent "epidemic" and that society is not yet aware of what is happening . Among the most significant effects, we can mention the misconceptions they are assimilating about sexuality, such as: that sex and affection are separate things, that men can possess the woman they want whenever they want, that women are willing to have sex at all times, that women must respond to men's demands, or that sex with violence is normal. The increase of exhibition to sexualized images is also associated with earlier onset of sexual activity and a parallel increase in other risky behaviors. Undoubtedly, online pornography is weakening the ability of many young people to develop a healthy affective-sexual life.

How can parents and educators prevent these behaviors?

I believe that the first step we must all take as a society is to be aware of the magnitude of the problem. By denying it, we cannot stop it from existing. An adequate Education is the indispensable and indisputable tool for its prevention. We could mention here some preventive measures such as, for example, with respect to the supervised use of technological devices or the use of parental control software. But I would like to insist on the importance of attending to each individual child or young person, offering him or her the appropriate channel to forge his or her personality, to help him or her grow up with security and firmness in values and virtues. There are "protective factors" that develop especially within the richness of affective bonds in the family. Human sexuality lived with dignity and fullness contains within itself an authentic and valuable beauty. That is why we seek to protect it from today's commercialism. As parents and educators we face a challenge perhaps never before perceived: the greatest threat to our children is perhaps no longer in the street, but in the quiet of our home behind a screen.