Protecting Our Children

Protecting Children From Desensitization by a Sexualized Society

By JoAnn Hibbert Hamilton

A baby is born innocent. Everything that goes into his/her mind affects how he/she thinks and acts. If a child never sees an inappropriate picture until he is 18, he would be shocked. That is not happening in today's world. As I mentioned in my last article, no adult saw as a child what his or her children have already seen. Children and adults are becoming desensitized. If you want to check on yourself, turn the television off for six months and then peek at the shows you were once watching. You will be surprised at what you had gotten used to seeing.

We need to realize that the desensitization of our children will change their values. I have had prominent religious leaders ask me why I thought their teenagers dressed so immodestly when they had been taught better. One answer is that as little children they were taught from magazine covers and the media what was lovely and beautiful — coverage that had a greater impact than parental instruction. The parents didn't realize this was happening.

So what is the solution? There is a lot that we can control. For instance, we can control what is seen within the walls of our home. A key issue in controlling what is seen within our home is to teach our children what is happening. They need to understand that sellers of pornography make more money if children and youth are exposed at young ages. To facilitate this and increase their business, sellers of porn --united with the producers of movies and videos --have a trade magazine, hold conferences, and openly discuss how they can reach children and youth. They know that with early exposure youth are more likely to become sexual addicts.

Accidental exposure to pornography on the Internet is not accidental. It is purposefully placed to create exposure. A single exposure of Internet pornography can cause instant addiction in some children, some youth, some adults, and some grandfathers, states Dr. Rick Hawks, a therapist who evaluates youthful sexual offenders. He said that sometimes it takes two weeks. Paula Houston, a state pornography ombudswoman, said that the general rule is that if a person sees seven hours of pornography a week for three months there is usually an addiction.

Below is a skeletal list of what youth need to know:

They need to understand the quickness of addiction.
Pornography is harder to stop using than cocaine or alcohol because the pictures stay in their mind.
They are targeted by sellers of pornography.
There is no rating system for movies. Movie producers rate them to sell.
They need to decide if they are wise enough to not get involved.
Pornography changes how they think and makes deviant things seem normal.
Ask them how they know they are not addicted if they have never tried to quit.
Know that they can pull out of this problem, but in many cases it will take professional help. It is easier to stop now than later.
They can receive help through the combined efforts of members of clergy who understand the problem, parents, counselors with experience in working with sexual addiction, and a support person.

Reference book: "To Strengthen the Family", by JoAnn Hamilton, available at www.strengthenthefamily.net