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Protecting Young Minds
Against the Dangers of Pornography
Tools and Support for Parents and Mentors
How Bad Is It?
The Hard Truth
Ready to Talk?
Tools for Connection
Kids Protected?
Guard Their Screens
Who Can Help?
When You Need More
Real help for real families navigating today’s digital world.
01
The Hard Truth
Pornography is changing how kids see relationships, identity, and themselves. These facts show how early exposure often happens and why protecting their minds and hearts is so important.
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Exposure starts shockingly young, the average age is 12 years old. Many children are introduced to pornography before they hit middle school, often by accident while doing homework or watching videos online.
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Early exposure is linked to anxiety, addiction, aggression, and a distorted view of sex and relationships. It’s not just curiosity, it’s neurological. By starting conversations early and using the right tools, you can protect the minds and hearts of the kids in your care.
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Only 1 in 10 parents believe their child has viewed porn, but studies show 7 in 10 teens have. The gap between what we think our kids are doing online and what’s actually happening, is wider than ever. Mentoring starts with monitoring.
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Sexual content doesn’t always come from pornography websites, it starts with ads or images hidden in video games, pop-ups, and kid-focused apps. These seemingly harmless visuals can normalize sexualized content, spark curiosity, and lead children to search for more.
Click HERE for more statistics regarding the hard truth about pornography use and exposure
02
Tools for Connection
It can feel awkward to talk about pornography, but kids need help understanding what’s real and what’s not. These tools give parents/mentors ways to start the conversation and keep it going.
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For Parents & Mentors: Guidance on understanding why kids may view pornography, how to respond calmly, and how to build ongoing trust and accountability.
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Defend Young Minds: Worried about your curious kids getting hurt by porn? We’ll get you up and running with facts, tips and answers to your most pressing questions. Learn the right age for beginning talks about porn and how to continue the conversations.
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Conversations for younger kids (ages 5-10): Simple, age-appropriate conversations that teach kids what to do if they see something inappropriate online and how to talk to a trusted adult.
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Conversations for tweens & teens (ages 10–18): Practical tools and scripts to help parents and mentors start honest, ongoing talks about digital safety, peer pressure, and pornography in a healthy way.
03
Guard Their Screens
Keeping kids safe online takes awareness and the right tools. These resources help families set healthy limits, filter harmful content, and guide kids toward positive digital habits.
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Protect Young Eyes: Practical tools and guidance to help families create safer digital spaces and protect kids from online dangers. Free downloads available.
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Plugged In: Expert reviews and guides to help parents understand the content and safety of apps, games, and shows their kids use.
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Bark: Parental monitoring app that scans texts, social media, and apps for harmful content while teaching kids healthy tech habits.
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Internet Safety 101 – Social Media Safety Settings (PDF)
A free downloadable guide showing step-by-step how to set privacy and safety settings on today’s most popular social media apps.
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Defend Young Minds – Digital Safety Planner
A hands-on workbook that helps parents and mentors create a step-by-step plan for setting screen limits, building trust, and keeping kids safe online.
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When You Need More
Sometimes families need guidance that goes beyond what’s available locally. These national organizations offer trusted information, tools, and support to help.
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Fight the New Drug: A movement using science, research, and real stories to raise awareness about the harmful effects of pornography. Their free videos, articles, and “Get the Facts” resources help teens and parents understand how pornography impacts the brain, relationships, and society.
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Thorn: Builds technology to defend children from sexual exploitation and combat the spread of child sexual abuse material online. Their tools help expose how pornography and trafficking intersect in the digital world.
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National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Works to protect children from abduction and exploitation, offering prevention resources and reporting tools for online grooming, sextortion, and pornography exposure.
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Shared Hope International: Educates and equips parents, educators, and communities to prevent sex trafficking and exploitation, highlighting the connection between pornography and real-world harm.
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Rebecca Bender Initiative: A survivor-led organization that trains families, professionals, and communities to recognize and respond to trafficking and exploitation. Offers free tools and awareness resources.
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Polaris Project: Works to expose and disrupt human trafficking networks and strengthen systems that prevent exploitation.
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National Human Trafficking Hotline: A confidential, 24/7 hotline connecting victims and survivors of trafficking with local support and safety resources. Call 1-888-373-7888, text “HELP” to 233733