The NGO  Dale Una Vuelta  is warning of the consequences of consuming pornography from a young age.  With the campaign ”  Porn leaves a mark. So does our inaction,” created by the  agency ROSAPARKS , they emphasize the need to provide critical, respectful, and informed sex and relationship education to younger generations.

More than 50% of teenagers  have seen pornography before the age of 13. For  many, the age of first exposure is 11. Nearly 90% of this content, which can be easily found with just a few clicks, portrays sexual models based on  violence  and the absence of  consent , as well as displays of affection and intimacy.  Categories such as “degradation,” “rape,” and “incest” are prevalent.

To combat this, this initiative highlights the  responsibility of  adults  to intervene before  it happens, counteract these messages in time or debunk myths, with the aim of  preventing sexist violence and promoting healthier and more equal relationships.

Early measures to prevent sexual violence

Most of the pornographic content available online normalizes  humiliation, objectification, and control  as part of desire. This encourages these behaviors, which minors—still in the process of identity formation and learning—internalize and later emulate in their relationships.

Furthermore, digital environments are unsafe, given that  12.1% of teenagers have experienced sexual violence in these contexts, according to data from  Dale Una Vuelta . Likewise, this NGO reports that minors who view pornography before the age of 16 are  more likely to suffer  grooming , that is, online sexual harassment by adults.

Among the  consequences of early exposure to pornography  are the confusion between fiction and reality, the reproduction of violent patterns, objectification and toxic gender roles, as well as emotional detachment and a lack of empathy in relationships. All of this,  without a solid foundation of sociosexual education, can leave a deep mark and create unrealistic and unhealthy expectations.

As this campaign argues,  educating about respect and consent  and questioning the messages of pornography is  key to preventing violence  and equipping teenagers and children with tools to protect themselves from potential aggression. It’s also crucial for building healthier, freer, and more respectful relationships.  “Let’s open the dialogue before pornography does ,” urges the  Dale Una Vuelta initiative .

Source:  Direct Marketing