The inclusion of sex education on the syllabus for schools has been recommended in most parts of the world and is a subject of debate in some. While some are calling for teens to be educated on relationships as well, many are suggesting including porn in sex education.
But contrary to what it may sound like, the idea isn’t to show porn videos in class, but it aims to start a conversation on the easily accessible content. The reason for encouraging students to share their experiences and views on porn is that most students take porn as a credible representation of sexual intercourse.
This trend is dangerous since commercial pornography is easily accessible for children as young as 11 on the internet and also perpetuates a masculine view of sex where pleasure for women is ruled out. Apart from glorifying sexual violence, pornography promotes unrealistic ideas about sexual relationships.
Disturbing incidents that point to the effects of online porn can be seen as a 13-year-old admitted to assaulting other children after being influenced from pornography and an activist reported an incident where a young boy was asked why he didn’t stop when the girl was crying, and simply replied that it was normal for girls to cry during sex.
Education about relationships and sex along with awareness about pornography can actually drive a strategy to bring down sexual harassment and address what is being termed as a health crisis of the digital age.
