The Ministry of Equality, through the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, presented on Wednesday the guide ‘Andrea’ on pornography, encouraging young people to talk about porn with «honesty and reflection» for a «healthy» sexuality.
The guide is aimed at families, professionals, and youth mediators. Its goal is to raise awareness about the effects of pornography and to serve as a tool to work with young people and adolescents, providing information on the phenomenon. It advocates for educating young people about the negative impacts on mental health, self-image, women’s image, and interpersonal relationships.
«The ease of access and the availability of mobile devices mean that initiation into this consumption is becoming increasingly early, starting at around eight years old,» it points out.
It also encourages educators to promote a «deep understanding» of how pornography «distorts reality and affects sexual expectations and behaviors.» It also recommends promoting sexual practices based on «respect, consent, and equality.»
Regarding sexual relationships, the guide states that these practices «may follow predictable or unpredictable patterns, but all must share certain fundamental characteristics.» It emphasizes «responsible» behaviors that do not cause harm, do not harass, manipulate, or discriminate. It also advocates for avoiding judgment or expectations based on assigned gender as male or female.
In this sense, it states that «pornography constitutes sexual violence since the images depicted focus on extreme violence against women.» It also exposes that it reaches «an extreme level of sadism, focusing on the humiliation, degradation, and pain of women to the point of dehumanizing them, understood only as mere objects penetrable by one or multiple males.»
The document encourages young people to discuss with their friends to question what they see in pornography, especially representations of violence or aggression and objectification of women. It discusses the importance of consent, desire, respect, and emotional responsibility in all sexual relationships.
It also invites reflection on how pornography consumption affects their lives, with questions like «does it interfere with their personal relationships, studies, work, or emotional well-being?» or «do they feel guilty or ashamed after watching porn?».
The guide also provides resources and sources of information for families and educators who need help, advice, or to report issues on the Internet, cyberbullying, or dissemination of images without consent.
On the other hand, the guide denounces that platforms like OnlyFans do not represent a path to «female empowerment» but reproduce dynamics of exploitation and pimping, promoting the «self-merchandising» of the female body under the guise of «freedom and entrepreneurship.»
It also states that OnlyFans acts as a «digital pimp» and that, in reality, women have no real control over their content or consumer demands, perpetuating sexual exploitation.
The Government Delegate against Gender Violence, Carmen Martínez Perza, stated on Wednesday that the data on pornography in minors is «very worrying.» She highlighted that the first contacts of children in this country start at around 10 years old, on average. She emphasized that over 98% of young boys from 16 years old actively seek pornography online, with 78% of girls doing the same. She stressed the concern about the impact this has on sexual violence.
TOOLS FOR TALKING «CLEARLY» ABOUT SEXUALITY
Martínez Perza explained that the guide specifically addresses measures outlined in the State Pact against Gender Violence, recently renewed. It provides educators, education professionals, families, and youth mediators with practical and effective tools to discuss sexuality clearly with boys and girls.
She detailed that the document on pornography is part of a broader effort related to digital violence and the dangers present in the digital world. However, it does not contain information on parental control tools.
Finally, Martínez Perza urged not to ignore what is happening with pornography and minors in Spain. She announced that the guide will be available on the Ministry’s website for those in need. She also mentioned potential collaboration with the Ministry of Education to distribute the document to educational institutions.
The guide was developed through the Aplec association and led by a research team headed by Esther Torrado from the University of La Laguna. Collaboration also came from the Youth Council of Spain and the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and Agenda 2030, in addition to the Government Delegation against Gender Violence.
FUENTE