By Ma. Jesusa F. Constantino
A few meters away from where I was writing is an internet
café, and everyday the place is packed with people. Many of them made it a routine to use
computers from the ‘young ones’ to the ‘once young’. Others go there both for research and
leisure. As a student, I go there to
make projects, researches, find out new songs on the Billboard and YouTube and
check my Facebook account.
In
our city during weekends, people are busy on-line. While waiting for a vacant computer, I stand
by, and the noise and laughs of the two kids I heard caught my attention. They sounded so happy. I got curious. I don’t know what they were doing because the
cubicle is covered with a thick curtain.
But I heard one of them saying, “Ibutang diha bai, over 18 years old
naka!” It was then, that I realized that
those two kids, of about 10 to 11 years old gained access to an adult related
material over the web by declaring he is over 18 years old.
Pornography
is never an old issue even if some say otherwise maybe because they believe
that portrayal of sexually explicit images has become commonplace in today’s
society. What was once a taboo is now
openly available. Yes, in fact that’s
the reason why I am hesitant to write about this article, but the worsening
effect of pornography inspired me to share a thought about this issue.
As
a junior education student, we have a Field Study subject in one of the
elementary schools in the city. We need
to observe for one to two weeks only. We
observed the behaviors of the pupils and the teaching strategies as well. During recess, I noticed a Grade 5 pupil,
Mark*, sitting over in a corner giggling after googling porn. It was a cellphone with internet access.
I
thought the age of a fifth grader is the youngest age to lose innocence about
porn exposure. One of my friends, who is
now a practice teacher in one of the elementary schools in the city, also
encountered the same type of pupil who has a regular porn exposure and was caught
in the act of kissing the model’s bust in a bold/sexy magazine. These pupils came from Grades 1 and 2.
Dr.
Monina P. Ponferrada, a pediatrician from San Carlos Doctor’s Hospital,
presented her views about the dangers of porn for children. She said that, “Parents have great
responsibility to monitor their children.
Many parents do not spend time with their kids and instead give them
unlimited access to the internet. They
equip their kids with i-Phone and i-Pads and ‘anything and everything’ to get
them off their back. It’s no surprise
that kids are locking themselves in their rooms and watching porn.”
In
turn, Dr. Ponferrada warns that “viewing pornography, especially in an ongoing
way can have potentially detrimental effect on children and may be motivated or
perpetuated by loneliness and isolation, but if the child doesn’t see porn at
home, there is a good chance, one is introduced to it by peers.”
Mark is
a gamer and even at 12, he spent much of his idle time on the internet. The first time he stumbled across pictures of
people having sex was in the internet.
Like his games, the stream of internet pornography did not stop.
Dr.
Ponferrada said that the internet entices kids to porn addiction and it has
health risk like little sleep at night and the week-long gaming and
masturbating while looking at the porn can make him sick with dehydration. It can also cause malnutrition.
Facebook issues
Mark is part of the first generation of teenagers who are
computer literate and have had fast, unlimited access to the internet. In fact the rise of MySpace and Facebook has
turned the internet into the preferred method of communication.
In
fact, Facebook, is not good for the kids anymore. It is because, Facebook has a porn
problem. This social networking site is replete
of violent and pornographic images including doctored pictures of celebrities
such as Justin Beiber and Rihanna.
Users
had complained of being subjected to links, videos and images depicting
pornography. I have encountered this
with one of my friends. He received a
hundred comments about the image he posted on the wall – an image of the female
genital. He denied the accusation of
posting such porn image.
According
to the news, the site confirmed that it suffered a “coordinated spam attack” by
hackers. Hackers gained unauthorized
access to computer data to use computer or other technological device or system
in order to gain unauthorized access to data held by another person.
DepEd concern
From TV
news last February 19, 2012, the Department of Education encourages the
students to engage in sports. This is to
lessen the dropout rates in school. It
was reported based on studies on America, that pupils/students gained more
interest in schooling, when they are in sports like football. This is also to encourage the pupils to have
physical activity and exercise.
Aside
from the drop-out rate, sports is also necessary to switch the child’s exposure
to pornographic images and videos which can cause addiction.
Men in general
Generally, the people who produce and purchase pornography
are men. Adults watching are acceptable
as long as the porn doesn’t involve children.
Even for adults it can be addictive and create false expectation and
distorted ideas. It is like an alcohol
that gives a sense of well being but is damaging in the long run.
When
adults are involved in pornography, the children suffer in some way. Men who view pornography often act out their
sexual cravings by raping real young children.
According
to CSWD Officer Cynthia Mirande, here in San Carlos City, based on 2011
statistics, the city has six cases of rape and 13 cases of Act of
Lasciviousness. Mostly, these cases
happened in Barangay Rizal.
Like it
or not, most men watch porn. I think it
is fine when you have certain level of maturity to understand that porn is
fantasy – sex in real life is nothing like that. Sex in real life should be
with somebody you love and care for.
For
children on the other hand, it is indeed damaging as they are learning what sex
is, is through porn.
No
wonder, kids pose sexily nowadays when they see their favorite pop stars
singers wearing next to nothing, posing and performing in a seductive way, even
singing about sex (e.g. S&M/ Rude Boy).
As much as I love her as a singer, she does portray sex a lot in her
videos/performances to sell, so with Lady Gaga.
Young girls want to copy her and be like her.
This is
the price we have to pay for fast and quick communication. We are in the Google age. As humans we have the ability to stop
ourselves from doing or watching certain things to protect others or stop
things that could have a negative impact on us in the long term.
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