The danger posed to young people by smartphones and pornography has been a concern for child protection experts for years. Professionals working with children who exhibit concerning behavior believe that there is a direct correlation between sexual offending and the ease with which they can access extreme pornography on a device that can often be difficult for parents to monitor. This problem has increased dramatically with the rise of smartphones. Most recently, courts have had to deal with a rise in underage sex offenders who had access to online pornography from a young age, resulting in stark warnings from judges and barristers alike.
One such case was that of a 13-year-old boy who stalked and sexually assaulted a woman on the streets of Cork. It was later discovered that he had been accessing pornography on his phone since the age of 11. This prompted Judge Catherine Staines to call for more rigorous restrictions to be placed on companies selling pornographic material, stating that they were making vast sums of money by selling harmful material to young children. Brendan Grehan SC, a barrister, called this issue an epidemic in its own right, with many young boys accessing pornography and then acting it out in inappropriate ways.
Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that over 20% of sexual offenses are committed by male children. Analysis of the Garda Youth Diversion Program showed a 42% increase in children being referred to the program for “child pornography” offenses in 2020, at a time when other categories of youth offending declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Few judges have seen more of these cases than Michael White, former head of the Central Criminal Court from 2018 until his retirement in 2021, who says that the courts may be just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, Gareth Noble, a solicitor dealing with child law, has stated that access to extreme pornography is giving children a warped view of relationships, which is driving the trend of young people being charged with sexual offenses.
Despite these concerns, there is little point in trying to control access to pornography at a legislative or regulatory level. The issue is widespread, and it is up to parents and guardians to take responsibility for the young teenagers in their care. Every teenager who looks at pornography will not become a sex offender; however, in countries such as Ireland and Spain, where social worker Kieran McGrath counsels child sex offenders, pornography is a factor in almost every case. McGrath wrote an advice pamphlet for parents after the Ana Kriégel case, which opened people’s eyes to the cruelty children can exhibit and the need for parental supervision of young teenagers.
In conclusion, the danger that smartphones and pornography pose to young people has been a concern for child protection experts for years. Despite this, the problem seems to be worsening, with more cases of underage sex offenders being prosecuted due to their access to online pornography. It is essential that parents and guardians take responsibility for young teenagers and monitor their smartphone use to prevent unnecessary exposure to pornography. Although legislation cannot control access to pornography, parents can take steps to protect their children from these harmful materials.
