Children should be ‘taught about porn and sexting’, most Britons believe

Children should be taught about the impact of pornography and sexting, according to the majority of Britons.

In a survey of 2,000 adults, three out of four said they wanted pupils to be made aware about the issues surrounding pornography.

The study, commissioned by the charity Plan International UK and carried out by Opinium, also found 71% want lessons on sexting.

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It is thought the poll could fuel demands for sex and relationship education to be made compulsory in UK schools.

Only seven per cent of those polled were opposed to teaching children about the impact of pornography.

And 86% of those surveyed think sexual consent should be taught while 82% want lessons to cover violence and abuse in relationships.

Plan International UK’s chief executive, Tanya Barron, said: “It’s clear that the UK public – including parents, feel that educating our children about issues such as sexual consent, different sexual orientations and the impact of pornography is important.

“Parents are simply demanding that their children’s education reflects the 21st century reality of their lives.

“Children today can be exposed to all sorts of sexual imagery on a daily basis which we know to be causing harm.

“Children themselves, girls in particular, are telling us that they feel they need improved, age-appropriate mandatory sex and relationships education to help them navigate these difficult issues.”

State secondary schools under local authority control in England have to teach compulsory sex education, but this does not apply to academies and free schools.

Parents can choose to take their children out of these classes.

Conservative MP Maria Miller, head of the Women and Equalities Committee, was one of five select committee chairs who wrote to education secretary Justine Greening last year to demand a change in policy.

She said: “Digital mobile phones and 24-hour-a-day access to the online world are an everyday part of British childhood.

“As a result most children will have seen online pornography before they leave primary school and will have been asked for a sexual digital image of themselves by a friend before they leave secondary school.

“Parents and children know they need help and that is why I want compulsory lessons at school to help children better understand the signs of an abusive relationship, issues such as consent and the harm that is done by sexting and underage viewing of pornography.

“Evidence given to the Women and Equalities Select Committee on sexual harassment in schools clearly indicates abusive relationships are spilling over from the offline world into everyday school life.

“Better relationship education can help children handle these pressures better.”

(Main picture: PA)