¶ … Disease Control and Prevention (2016), as many as one out of every four children have experienced some type of abuse: including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Exposure to pornography, whether accidental or not, can be harmful to children's psychological or social development. However, coerced exposure to pornography is a more extensive form of abuse that coincides with other types of abuse including psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Coerced child pornography may in fact be one of the most harmful types of child abuse because of the multifaceted nature of the crime. The nationwide prevalence of abuse in the United States is over 700,000 children, with prevalence of death at 2.13 deaths per 100,000 children (CDC, 2016). Child abuse is not just an ethical issue; there are proven consequences of child abuse that have been substantiated by empirical evidence in the scientific literature. Only a few of the harmful effects of child abuse include abnormal brain development, impaired cognitive skills development, learning disabilities, poor social or emotional skills adaptation, reduced language development, anxiety and mood disorders, and substance abuse (CDC, 2016).
Exposure to pornography leads to a different subset of effects, many of which relate to the social development of the child. Research has shown, for example, that exposure to pornographic material can lead to rigid gender stereotyping, and even the condoning if not the perpetration of violence against women (Campo, 2016). Lack of self-esteem, mistrust of adults and trouble with authority, self-destructive and self-harming behaviors are also known effects of child abuse (Department of Human Services, 2011). Although these are not causal studies, the harmful effects of simple exposure to pornography are nevertheless measurable. There are also correlations between frequent exposure to pornography and sexually coercive behavior later in the child's life (Campo, 2016). It is therefore imperative to eliminate child exposure to pornography. Yet the more pernicious problem related to the coerced participation of children in either amateur or professional pornography is something that has not bee studied in as much detail. Obviously coercion of any type implies force; the child will often be psychologically manipulated if not outright physically forced to either watch pornography with the perpetrator or perform sexual acts in front of a camera with or for the perpetrator. The long-term effects of such coercive and abusive acts are extensive.
Exposure to Pornography
Exposure to pornography alone can lead to unhealthy and risky behaviors. One study shows, "teens who watch movies or listen to music that glamorizes drinking, drug use or violence tend to engage in those behaviors themselves," (Ross, 2012, p. 1). Other studies substantiate the mirroring effect, whereby children who watch pornography repeat what they see on the video or the images. This could lead to the types of high risk sexual behaviors that lead to a child's being exposed to sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy. Moreover, exposure to pornography has been shown to be a risk factor in comorbid mental health issues such as intimacy disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse disorders (Ross, 2012). To mitigate the effects of pornography exposure, parents need to take a more active role in their child's education and educators also need to take responsibility for informing children as young as they are able to understand what the difference is between healthy sexuality and unhealthy sexuality, such as pornography that depicts coercion or violence against women. When children are educated early about sexuality, the mystique of pornography may be diminished, thus leading to a healthier and more realistic, age-appropriate developmental attitude toward sex. However,...
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