• According to a study by Arcom and Médiamétrie, 51% of boys aged 12-13 visit a pornographic site every month.
  • This consumption of porn is "more and more mixed and younger and younger," says Anne de Labouret, author of Talk about porn to your children before the Internet does it* andinterviewed by 20 Minutes.
  • For this pharmacist by training, who participates in awareness workshops, it is crucial that parents, who are often in denial on this subject, do prevention "from an early age" by encouraging their children to come and talk to them if they come across pornographic images while browsing the Internet, and explain that "this is not real life" to teenagers.

After the "AIDS generation" of children in the 80s and 90s, the "porn generation"? According to an Arcom study, 51% of 12-13 year old boys visit an at least once a month. A staggering figure, which highlights the recurring failure to set up an effective barrier to the entry of pornographic sites. An exposure that most parents do not know, or do not want to see.

What does this study reveal about underage porn consumption habits? Why do parents fall into a form of denial of this phenomenon? How to break the taboo and broach the subject with your child? The author of Parlez du porno à vos enfants avant qu'Internet d'le can*, Anne de Labouret, answered questions from 20 Minutes.

To what extent do minors consume pornography?

According to Arcom's survey with Médiamétrie, 2.3 million minors consulted pornographic sites in 2022, at an average rate of 49 minutes per month. A figure that is constantly increasing. "All young people consult porn, it is more and more mixed and younger and younger," explains Anne de Labouret. For example, while 55% of adult men and 20% of women regularly watch porn, this is the case for 59% of boys and 27% of girls among 14- and 15-year-olds.

"It happens with the tools we put in their hands, because children have smartphones with Internet access at a very young age," warns the former biology teacher. In fact, the Arcom study estimates that 83% of minors use their mobile phones to consult these sites. "Before, there was only one computer for the family, nine-touch phones, teens had access to porn around 15. Now, the consultation begins in primary school, around 9 years old, "says Anne de Labouret. "They're curious, it's natural, but they're going to come across shocking and inappropriate images."

Why is there a parental denial about the consumption of porn by young people?

At the end of the awareness workshops in which she sometimes participates, Anne de Labouret meets parents "who have taken a blow on the head". Not so much by idealization of their child, but especially "because they did not live this situation, had access to pornography later". These parents grew up with the first computers, "master the computer tool well and feel like they are doing what is necessary". But in reality, they are "unaware of what their children see on the Internet."



"It's easier not to broach the subject," she regrets. She wants "parents to become aware" of the importance of the subject despite the difficulty of talking about it, because exposure to all facets of porn so young "has an impact on the psyche and relationships" that the child will eventually develop. "Despite all the precautions you take, you do not know what the neighbor is doing," she points out, recalling that children and teens "share with their friends" what they see on the Internet.

How to get out of the taboo and talk about porn to your child or teenager?

Rest assured, no need to go into the big unpacking, do an anatomy class or even have "the" discussion with your child years before it is necessary. But for Anne de Labouret, prevention begins as soon as the child has access to a screen independently. For the youngest, we can start with "be careful, there are things that are not for you, violence or naked people, and if you see some, come and talk to me about it". Like a "don't talk to people you don't know on the street", you have to repeat the message over and over again.

Then, from primary school, "explain that it is cinema, to pretend", or even "that there are tricks", as when "Harry Potter flies away on his broom". The more time passes, the more we can take advantage of it to "deconstruct the image of porn" and explain "violence, rape". Insist that these videos will "give them false ideas". There is no need to approach the discussion head-on: it is better to "pull the thread from what is said on TV or radio". And by the way, "make respect for consent the central point of what we are going to say". With all this, we can hope to prevent minors from developing a "very standardized, schematized" vision of sexuality, whose discovery should be "much more personal and fulfilling".

*

Talk to your children about porn before the Internet does, Anne de Labouret, Tierry Souccar editions, 12 euros.

  • Health
  • Porn
  • Médiamétrie
  • Prevention
  • Child
  • Parenthood