The Explainer
17 Apr 2025
Is porn driving a rise in youth sexual violence?
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There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the online world and its effects on the minds of young children. A new The Journal Investigates series has found that these concerns are not without merit when it comes to the use of pornography. The investigation came on the back of concern raised by judges in this country over the number of minors appearing before courts on serious sexual offence charges, where pornography use was deemed a factor in offending. Outside the court system, our colleagues also found that the number of children under 17 receiving support under a Tusla-led programme for sexually harmful behaviour had increased by more than 40% in the last year. The Journal Investigates reporter Patricia Devvin joined us to share more about her work.