May 2023: The Dangerous Effects of Porn on Developing Minds

Culture Reframed is the premier science-based, global organization working to stop the emotional, behavioral, and sexual harms of pornography to children and youth. Join our online community to receive updates on our work, announcements of upcoming events, and the latest news related to pornography and youth.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize how mental health impacts our lives, reduce the stigma, and support those who need it.

Conversations around mental health have become more common since the COVID pandemic. Earlier this month, the U.S. Surgeon General confirmed a loneliness epidemic, and in February a CDC report shed light on the mental health crisis among teen girls.

While there are many factors impacting the mental health of youth today, our hypersexualized digital world certainly plays a major role. This month’s newsletter explores how pornography impacts the mental health of adolescents and what we can do as parents and caregivers to help our kids build resilience to sexually explicit content.

Below, you also can hear from members of our team — Dr. Gail Dines and Dr. Mandy Sanchez — as guests in recent podcasts, discussing the impact that our hypersexualized culture has on kids and offering expert tips on how to help.

What happens to an impressionable young mind when consuming sexually explicit material? Exposure to pornography can significantly impact a child’s development and mental health. This article explores how pornography affects the adolescent brain and the dangers it poses to the psychological and emotional well-being of developing young minds.

At Culture Reframed’s virtual conference, “Pornography and Prostitution: Connecting the Dots,” Meghan Donevan, Research Director at Talita, shared insights from a study of women involved in pornography production in Sweden to understand the ties between pornography and prostitution. In her presentation, Donevan highlights the impact social media has had on the industry, noting it is where much of today’s online sexual exploitation occurs. Read highlights from her presentation or watch the full video here.

Hold Me Back Podcast Featuring Dr. Gail Dines

Dr. Gail Dines was recently a guest on Hold Me Back, a podcast co-hosted by 17-year-old Aidan ElDifrawi and his father that focuses on helping parents and teens understand and communicate with each other in the face of our rapidly changing digital world. In this episode, they chat with Dr. Dines about how hypersexualized media and the ease of access to explicit pornography is affecting tween and teen psychological development, as well as Gen Z’s attitude towards sex and intimacy.

Culture Reframed’s Dr. Mandy Sanchez joined Christy Keating on The Heartful Parent podcast to share the shocking truth about the connection between social media, the gaming world, and the porn industry. Dr. Sanchez offers tips for parents and caregivers on how to have tough conversations with kids to protect them from the dangers of the industry.

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