Porn Teaches Boys That Sexual Assault is A-Okay

File this in the "not surprised" column: according to a new study, young boys who watch pornography are more likely to think sexual harassment and using force on a women is just fine.

Researcher Michael Flood, from the Australian Research Center on Sex, Health and Society, says that viewing porn “doesn’t mean that every young person is going out to rape somebody but it does increase the likelihood that will happen.” How comforting.

It's not exactly a secret that the porn industry is a male-dominated profession, and that misogyny runs through its products; not much exists in the way of feminist, woman-friendly viewing material. Flood cites unrealistic depictions of sex and callous, hostile depictions of women as contributing factors to boys messed up perspective on how to treat women. He acknowledges that some people consider porn to be beneficial because it increases sexual knowledge, but that for these reasons, it is "a very poor sex educator."

Given mainstream porn's problems with sexual realism and respect toward women, the idea of kids using it to learn about sex is disturbing. Sadly, I'm aware this does happen. The answer is to provide accurate, comprehensive sex education that does not push gender stereotypes or violence against women. The study finds that 60 percent of boys have seen porn by age 16, and the average age at which boys start watching is 11 years old, so proper sex ed in schools needs to start before that. That way, their first serious introduction to sex is a healthy one.

Yes, that means (age-appropriate) sex education in elementary school. (It would also help if schools didn't do ridiculous things like remove dictionaries from classrooms for defining the term "oral sex.") My sex ed started in fifth grade -- yes, it was pretty vanilla, and yes, most all the kids already knew about and had discussed sex before, so it was about time we had some real education to clear up misconceptions.

Porn of a woman-friendly variety might have its place for, ahem, private enjoyment -- but it shouldn't be a young boys only introduction to the wide world of sex, and it definitely shouldn't used as a sex educator when it showcases so much violence against women. (It also shouldn't be used as a how-to guide on how to have sex. Remember: unrealistic.)

Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com