Study: Kids who view x-rated porn are more likely to commit sexual harassment or abuse

By Staff Writer

Adolescents who view violent or obscene pornography are more likely to engage in sexually aggressive behavior, according to a new study.

Research conducted by Internet Solutions for Kids - and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - found that adolescents who view x-rated material are six times more likely to report forcing someone to do something sexual online or in-person versus kids who are not exposed to x-rated material.

Approximately 14 percent of the teenagers who were surveyed said they looked at x-rated material in movies. A total of 12 percent admitted that they viewed it in magazines, while 11 percent search for it online.

The Youth Internet Safety Survey revealed that 15 percent of kids between ages 12 and 17 have purposely looked at x-rated content online. The Pew Internet and American Life Project suggests that 70 percent of teens between 15 and 17 accidentally view pornography either "somewhat" or "very" often.

Dr Michele Ybarra, the primary author of the Solutions for Kids study, suggested that parents install blocking and filtering software on their computers.

According to the National Journal, researchers from the Witherspoon Institute say that about 75 percent of pornographic websites display visual teasers on their homepages before asking for the visitor's legal age.