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By Jean Kim-Butcher
AS ANOTHER school year descends upon us, and we have education on our minds, I
would like to write of another kind of education – that has grave consequences for our children’s souls.
Recently I happened upon a TV program spotlighting online child pornography.
Instantly I thought of turning it off, to avoid listening to the sordid details
of such a topic.
But before I could do so, the host – as if reading my mind – observed: “It is because we close our ears and turn the other way that this industry on the
internet is growing by the thousands each day.” So I watched.
How the testimony of police officers, who target internet perpetrators, has
changed my understanding of what child pornography is! I previously thought
porn consisted of pictures of naked subjects in lewd poses. In reality, it is a
play-by-play of brutal physical and sexual torment; it is a debasing of human
dignity to the point of engaging in bestiality; it is an evil unimaginable.
It is a display which computer memory can make permanent, available for repeated
viewing – and the tempting of others.
In July’s BCCN , ‘Internet porn crisis’ by Drew Dyck addressed the issue of internet porn addiction, mentioning its
effects on teens. It was shocking to read that the average age of first
exposure to online pornography is 11.
More heart-wrenching, however, was learning from the above-mentioned TV program
that one case of arrest occurred with a 17 year old teenager caught downloading
a 40-minute segment of a four-year child being bound and raped by an adult.
The tragedy of a stolen youth, and the unlikelihood of ‘normal’ future relationships for both child and teenager, is inestimable; the sins of
the adult are unspeakable, almost unforgivable.
Our immediate reaction as parents is, of course: “How do we protect our children?” But our secondary response should elicit the question: “What is our part in stopping this rampant and recalcitrant evil?”
Some basic ways to address the first concern include vigilance in regard to the
internet use of every member of your family (including parents!). For example:
ensuring an easily monitored location for your home’s computer; teaching a balanced approach to computer use (i.e., entertainment
vs. research or email); limiting the time spent browsing; and installing
appropriate internet filters.
Furthermore, we need to become aware of, and get involved with, positive
community initiatives such as Internet Safety Workshops for schools (even my
grade 2 child was able to attend one at his school!).
We need to publicly voice support for those standing up against pornography. I
wrote a letter to Telus, thanking them for retracting their decision to offer
internet porn to cell phone users, and commending the role played by Roman
Catholic Archbishop Roussin – whose decision to cancel all the Vancouver archdiocese’s contracts with that company evidently contributed in great measure to the
reversal.
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Even us parents who are ‘technology-shy’ need to make efforts (such as taking a computer course) to keep up-to-date with
developments in the computer world, so that we understand the lingo and
activities of our children.
It is the second question, I believe, that is the more crucial one, since it
involves preventative measures and not merely responsive ones.
As parents, it is our duty to educate our children in their sexuality – a process which begins with laying the foundations from day one of our child’s life, and which will hopefully yield long-lasting gains as they mature.
A crime against humanity of the severest kind – the sexual exploitation of children – has arrived on our front doorstep with the accessibility of the internet, the
prevalence of sex-tourism and the culture-wide trend to prioritize rights over
responsibilities.
Let us neither sit comfortably behind closed doors, nor bury our heads under our
pillows in hopelessness and weariness.
We must harken to the commission of Micah 6:8, as relevant today as when it was
first uttered: “Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with thy God.” And pray for the perpetrators – that they would do likewise.
Part two of this article will explore the topic of sexual and gender-related
education.
Please feel free to email me with any thoughts and/or experiences you think
might help me in preparing this piece. You can reach me at
jeanfamilycolumn@gmail.com.
September 2009
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