The peak body for Australian sex workers has called for better education to help children deal with pornography if they are exposed to it, rather than increased censorship.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Scarlet Alliance has also cautioned that pornography is "often the scapegoat for broader societal issues" as renewed concerns are raised about young people's exposure to explicit material online.
A Senate inquiry into the potential harm being done to Australian children "through access to pornography on the internet" has been inundated by more than 140 submissions.
A submission from Children's eSafety Commissioner Alastair MacGibbon notes: "The proliferation of smart phones, tablets and devices [has] changed the amount and ease of access to sexually explicit content".
The Australian Medical Association also told the inquiry "children and young people are being exposed to a vast range [of] pornography, which is readily available on the internet".
But Scarlet Alliance - the Australian Sex Workers Association - has cautioned: "It is easier to blame sex workers and porn for misogyny and violence than to acknowledge that violence against women, sexual assault and sex education are issues that need to be dealt with by society at a foundational level."
It also questioned whether children - who are "naturally curious" about sexuality - should be kept "ignorant" until the age of consent. It says ignorance could increase the risk of abuse and embarrassment for young people.
At the same time, it stressed that porn producers "aren't marketing their material to children and porn performers have been vocal about the fact that their content is not made for minors".
It said the federal government and the porn industry should work together to stop children accessing explicit material online. Rather than adopting internet filters or censorship, Scarlet Alliance is calling for "open communication" with parents and teachers, so kids are able to talk about issues and material they may encounter.
It also encourages "practical" sex education that covers "relationships, boundaries and consent" as well as basic biology and health. This will help them understand pornography is "fantasy" and "not necessarily fully representative of what sex and relationships are like for most people".
The call comes as the Turnbull government makes changes to the Safe Schools anti-bullying program, amid concerns it contains material that is not age-appropriate for young people.
It also comes comes as the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists told the Senate committee that children and adolescents who are exposed to porn can "exhibit inappropriate and distorted behaviour".
It added "anecdotally, exposure to pornography is an element of some presentations at child and adolescent mental health services".
But it stressed that more evidence-based research was needed in the area, as well as information for parents on how to deal with the issue.
The Senate's environment and communications committee is due to report by the end of the year.
