These numbers are certainly disturbing! A survey on how to prevent problematic Internet behaviour for the younger generation has uncovered that some Malaysian teenagers admitted to having watched porn before they were even eight years old!
The Star reported about a survey, carried out by Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) that looked into the topic of pornography and children. The survey found that a shocking 7% of teenagers surveyed admitted they got their first glimpse of online porn before the age of eight.
The Herriot-Watt University Malaysia, a British university with a campus in Putrajaya, was awarded the research grant by MCMC in which their objectives were to develop intervention programmes for problematic Internet behaviour in adolescents.
Associate Professor Dr Ke Guek Nee pointed the finger at the availability of smart devices like smart phones, computers and laptops and the accesibility of the internet for young children in this day and age. According to Dr Ke, the youngsters were good at hiding their pornography viewing habits from their parents.
Source: Kidscreen.com
She also added that the research points to at least 19% of children below the age of 10 watching porn!
“They do know that it is a wrong act from the religious point of view but they do not know how to stop.”
Furthermore, the Education Ministry’s School Division Counselling Department head Saiful Effandi Mohd Zahari stated that based on the research, it is obvious that those viewing pornography for the first time are quite young.
Previously, those who learnt about pornography for the first time are usually in their teens. But it certainly looks like the trend in first-time porn-viewing is getting younger and younger.
“One of the causes of underage sex that leads to teenage pregnancy is online pornography viewing,” he added.
This really makes one consider how much access children should have to these smart devices. The internet can be a really scary place for parents and children alike! Hopefully this research can shed some light on what we can do as a community to stop this issue from getting worse.
Also read: PDRM Can Now Track Your Porn Activity in Real Time, Even on Your Phone
