Easy access to porn blamed for kids' sexually abusive behaviour

Sydney, Jan 14 (ANI): The availability of pornography through portable devices is being blamed for the rapid escalation of sexually abusive behaviour in children.

Children as young as five in Victoria, Australia, are being referred to specialist programs to address sexually abusive behaviour - and the number of minors exhibiting such behaviour is exploding.

And experts claimed pornography drastically affects a child's understanding of acceptable sexual behaviour.

In 2010-11, there was funding for 237 places in 13 locations across the state in problem sexual behaviour programs provided by the Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA). But demand far outstripped funded places - the programs had 414 participants.

CASA statewide convener Carolyn Worth said the problems had worsened in the past year and many areas, particularly rural centres, needed more funding.

The younger children (aged five to nine) were often - but not always - referred to the program because they were victims of abuse, she said.

Many of the program's participants were boys, Worth said, but there were some girls, including an 11-year-old who was sexting (where a person sends sexually explicit picture messages of themselves).

"Clearly it [ pornography] desensitises you, it probably gives them a strange idea of what's an appropriate way to interact with, mostly, women," WA Today quoted Worth as saying.

"If they've spent a lot of time watching it, they don't have any idea of how you actually negotiate having sex with somebody. They just don't understand it," she said.

She said behaviour typical of a 10-to-14-year-old participant included touching other children inappropriately and forcefully, forcing other children to conduct inappropriate acts on them, or acting threateningly and aggressively to younger children.

For 15-to-17-year-olds, it was sexual assault or involved other young children. (ANI)