Although the school year just ended, an international youth organization is rallying to encourage public educators to include its anti-porn curriculum in classrooms come September.

Nadine Willis, programs manager for Canada害羞草研究所攁 grassroots organization offering a holistic, whole school approach to counteract porn culture害羞草研究所攕ays free access to technology and a porn-rich culture are leaving our children vulnerable to the pornography industry害羞草研究所檚 nefarious marketing schemes and negative consequences.

害羞草研究所淭he porn industry targets kids,害羞草研究所� explained Willis. 害羞草研究所淚f they catch them when they害羞草研究所檙e young, they have a guaranteed life-time customer.害羞草研究所�

And not just 害羞草研究所渂ig kids, but little kids,害羞草研究所� continued Willis. Using popular culture as a jumping off point, many adult films use current themes and keywords害羞草研究所攕uch as fidget spinners害羞草研究所攖hat are designed to catch the attention of children.

The problem with this behaviour, says Willis, is it hijacks healthy sexual exploration and replaces it with pornification: the increasing acceptance of sexual themes and explicit imagery derived from the consumption of pornography.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 just the saddest thing to me, that kids are being robbed of their own sexual journeys,害羞草研究所� said Willis. 害羞草研究所淐uriosity is developmentally normal, however, being able to go on the internet and type in (keywords is relatively new, so) 害羞草研究所� within seconds they害羞草研究所檙e watching pornography, and what do they do now that they害羞草研究所檝e been awakened,害羞草研究所� she asked rhetorically.

Unfortunately, they act it out. 害羞草研究所淭he stats out of the UK show that peer-on-peer sexual abuse has increased by 400 per cent.害羞草研究所�

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And while these numbers hail from far away, they still hit close to home as the nation害羞草研究所檚 youth account for almost 60 per cent of all victims of police-reported sexual offences.

害羞草研究所淧ornography is used to groom children for exploitation,害羞草研究所� said Willis. 害羞草研究所淚t has negative neurological effects, and it can lead to acting out traumatic situations.害羞草研究所�

However, to combat that, the Youth Wellbeing Project, which got its start in Australia, has created an anti-porn curriculum designed to take the power of sexual awakening away from the porn industry and give it back to our youth.

In British Columbia, the Ministry of Education plans the academic outcomes for every grade, but it害羞草研究所檚 the teachers who decide how to get the students to the end goal, so Willis says she hopes the school district will adopt the programming as a way to fill the current void.

害羞草研究所淲e have a (sex education) program (in B.C.)害羞草研究所擨 think we barely have a program, as I don害羞草研究所檛 even think they害羞草研究所檙e offering it to older kids. So this full curriculum (we) have would really help.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 extensive and fully detailed,害羞草研究所� continued Willis. 害羞草研究所淚t even has the wording and the lesson plans to integrate into many subjects. And I know I害羞草研究所檓 the only one offering this comprehensive of teaching in British Columbia.害羞草研究所�

Designed for each stage of public education, Willis explains how the IQ Program curriculum incorporates four parts: prevention, safety, body, and relationship.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the programs I害羞草研究所檓 working on is art, and for example, we ask (them to draw) what intimacy looks like. We害羞草研究所檙e focusing on the positive 害羞草研究所� and healthy alternatives (to pornography).害羞草研究所�

And although Willis admits it may take some time to see the type of progressive action the Youth Wellbeing Project害羞草研究所檚 curriculum is aiming for, she says there are plenty of ways parents can help.

害羞草研究所淭alk to your children害羞草研究所檚 school and express your worries, having a lot discussions about what a healthy life and relationships look like, keeping communication open, talk about what healthy sexuality actually is, and starting younger than you think you should.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎 letter-writing campaign would also help,害羞草研究所� Willis continued. 害羞草研究所淭hey want to do what people care about, so we need to let them know we care about this.

害羞草研究所淥ne letter to your MP equals 5,000 constituents. If people begin to (write letters), as we approach them at the upper levels they害羞草研究所檙e going to be aware that their constituents are worried about this.害羞草研究所�

Willis also encourages parents to check out the free , which provides resources to help parents build 害羞草研究所渞esilience and resistance to porn culture, while promoting healthy (sexual) development害羞草研究所� in their children.

害羞草研究所淲e just want our kids to be the best they can be,害羞草研究所� said Willis. 害羞草研究所淎nd it starts here.害羞草研究所�

For more information, or to volunteer to Youth Wellbeing Project Canada, visit , or email Nadine Willis at TinaMonk@hotmail.com.

Sarah.Gawdin@theprogress.com
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