Online porn turning teenage boys into sexist pigs say their girlfriends

TEENAGE girls say online porn is warping their boyfriends’ ideas about what is normal. They’re being sent explicit material and told to send naked pics.

EXCLUSIVE

MORE than half of all teenage girls are receiving uninvited sexually explicit material on the internet and say their boyfriends are pressuring them to send sexy photos online.

And they are pleading for a crackdown on online pornography they say is influencing men’s attitudes to women.

A survey of 600 Australian girls aged 15-19 by aid agency Plan International has found eight out of 10 believe it is unacceptable for their boyfriend to ask them for a naked photo.

However half the girls said there was pressure to take sexual photos and share them online.

Seven out of ten girls reported being bullied online.

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“We need some sort of crack down on the violent pornography that is currently accessible to boys and men,” an 18-year-old girl told the survey.

“This violent pornography should be illegal to make or view in Australia as we clearly have a problem with violence and boys are watching a lot of pornography which can be very violent … This is influencing men’s attitude towards women and what they think is acceptable. Violent pornography is infiltrating Australian relationships,” she said.

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A 15-year-old student told the survey schools should introduce discussion of pornography “as young boys are accessing it and thinking this is normal in relationships.”

Australian youth are some of the world’s most digitally literate but the survey showed the online world has become a platform in which women and girls face harassment, Plan International’s deputy chief executive Susanne Legena said.

“Despite being unwanted, almost 60 per cent of recipients believe girls receive unwanted sexual photos, messages and videos.

“This is alarming, outright cyber-bullying, and dangerous as it can lead to low self -esteem and depression among victims,” Ms Legena said.

“This form of abuse is reaching girls inside their homes and bedrooms,” she said.

The access to violent and explicit pornography needs to be stopped say teenage girls who are concerned at their boyfriends’ behaviour. Picture: Supplied

The research was part of Plan International’s “Because I’m a Girl campaign” aimed at breaking down gender bias around the world.

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Anti-Domestic Violence group Our Watch helped fund the research to understand why girls experience gender inequality.

The findings underscored the need to address the culture of online bullying, harassment and the impact of pornography to “ensure students grow into adults whose relationships are safe, respectful and equal, on and offline,” Our Watch chief executive May Barry said.

Schools play an important role in the safety and wellbeing of students and they needed to introduce a whole school approach to promote gender equality, she said.

The survey also found nearly fifty per cent of girls did not feel comfortable reporting abusive online behaviour.

Ms Legena said girls should be aware they can block senders, increase their privacy settings and tell their boyfriend it is unacceptable to ask for a sexually explicit photo or send pornography over the internet.

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Almost 60 per cent of recipients believe girls receive unwanted sexual photos, messages and videos. Picture: Thinkstock

Plan International says the following websites provide detailed information on how internet users can apply stricter privacy settings:

■ https://www.esafety.gov.au/

■ http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Stay-protected/My-online-world/Staying-safe-online

“If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000. For more information about a service in your state or local area download the DAISY App in the App Store or Google Play.”

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