Young people may watch porn even more than thought

The number of young people seeking help at a rehabilitation clinic over their pornography use has soared over 150 per cent in the last four years.

Paracelsus Recovery, which runs one centre in London and another in Switzerland, said the figures indicate that heavy porn use is most prevalent in under-18s and may be more widespread than official statistics suggest.

Last year, England’s Children’s Commissioner’s Office found that the average age a child first sees pornography is 13-years-old.

‘Hopeless’

One 27-year-old British man who attended Paracelsus Recovery started watching pornography at the age of twelve.

He said: “I had lost all control over my behaviour. I was sitting in my room smoking weed and watching porn videos from morning to night. I had no friends, it had messed up my education, and I felt hopeless.

“I cannot even articulate how disgusting and ashamed I felt”.

Online Safety Act

The Government has launched an investigation into pornography’s devastating impact on society as part of a review of current regulation following the passing of the Online Safety Act.

A Call for Evidence, part of the Independent Pornography Review, will collect views on “the impact of pornographic content on relationships, sexual behaviours, mental health and people’s views of women and girls”.

It is set to address the separate regimes covering online and offline pornographic material to ensure restrictions are consistently applied.